


Heart-Shaped Bruise

by MedieavalBeabe



Category: Lok/Georgiana, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Affection, Arranged Marriage, Declarations Of Love, First Kiss, Gen, Happy Ending, Healing, Kissing, Love, Marriage, Past Abuse, Public Display of Affection, Romance, Scars, True Love, Trust Issues, Wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-31
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-04-18 08:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 80,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4699913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "All My Scars are Open"

**Author's Note:**

> Been wanting to write this for a long time. Enjoy. 
> 
> (Each chapter title will be a line from a song)

 

If, Georgiana of the House of Cavendish reflected, her life were a story of some kind, it would not be like this. Not if she could choose its ending, anyway. Or its middle, or its beginning. If she had the choice, she didn’t know exactly what her life would be like, but it would not be like this.

 

She had been told at the age of five what would happen to her later in life. The Cavendish line owned the vast country of Althrop in the Aesir Realm, bordering the land of Asgard, and had done for centuries, ever since the first Duke of Althorp had been in state. The Cavendishes had also maintained what they called a “special relationship” with the Asgardians for about the same amount of time. Everything political, economical, diplomatic, cultural, historical and military-related in one would always affect the other in some way, and her generation had never known any different. It was there to keep the bond between the two lands strong and thereby, it was hoped, reduce any risk of war outbreak between them.

 

And soon, Georgiana knew, she would be playing her part in the relationship. In only a matter of days as it happened.

 

She shuddered as she glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror, a tiny square not big enough to reflect the whole of her all at once, requiring her to twist and turn at different angles to see various parts of her body. It repulsed her. Her skin was icy pale, almost the colour of fresh snow, and she hadn’t been allowed to wash her hair for two days due to lack of water (or so they had told her) so it looked darker than its usual blonde shade. Her body was so thin with malnourishment that her bones showed in places, certainly beneath her breasts and near her collar. In several places, her skin was marked with bruises of purple and black, and slash-marks, scars of various beatings she had received throughout her life (“to keep me in line,” she reminded herself) at the hands of her guardian.

 

She suddenly wanted to cry. He would take one look at her, she knew, and denounce her as repulsive, unworthy of his time, let alone his love. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing that she could be beautiful, for even if he didn’t love her for the rest of their lives, at least he could put up with her.

 

“What are you standing around for?” Bess, her Uncle’s, what? Mistress? Whore? Whatever – asked, giving her a shove. “Get in the bath! We’ve a long journey ahead of us!”

 

Georgiana brought herself back to reality at once and nodded, dully, before doing as she was told. The water was placidly cold and she shivered, receiving a quick thwack across her shoulder for that.

 

“Don’t complain!” Bess snapped. “Princes don’t want wives who complain all the time! Hurry up!” She scowled as she watched the young girl bathe herself the best she could without soap. “Second you’ve gone,” she muttered, snatching the ragged gown from the floor and depositing a rag the size of a flannel in its place, “My life’ll be a whole lot easier.”

 

She marched from the room and Georgiana sighed, both in relief that she had gone and in distress that the woman cared so little about her. Not that she wasn’t used to it, of course. In the seventeen years she had been in her Uncle’s care, her Mother dying in childbirth and her Father following from a horse-riding accident some years later, all she had ever known was pain, torment and scorn. Her body had been beaten more than a piece of meat with a steak tenderizer. Her Uncle had never broken bones if he could help it, since he would never waste his good money on paying for a healer to treat her. Of course, bones had broken the few times she had tried to fight against his punishments; one time her wrist, another time her collar bone, once her ankle, and Bess had very reluctantly seen to them, although how good a job she had done, Georgiana had no idea. She was sure that they hadn’t healed the way they were meant to.

 

Clambering unsteadily, as was always her way, to her feet, she reached for the drying cloth, faced once again with the ugly patches of pink against her white skin where she accidently knocked a bowl of hot water over and scalded herself. All the sympathy she had received for that had been a good beating for her being so clumsy.

 

“No Prince will want someone as clumsy as you for a wife!” Her Uncle had bellowed over and over again, the cracking whip slicing into her back again and again. None of those scars had ever healed. “Learn to be graceful! Or you’ll bring disgrace on us all!”

 

Georgiana knew it was useless, though. She was clumsy, not all the time, but every so often, and a Princess had to be graceful in every single little thing she did, it was a well-known fact.

 

“What are you doing dawdling?” Bess fired, re-entering the room with the dress Georgiana was to travel in. Georgiana jumped and hurriedly finished drying herself off. “Hurry it up! Your Uncle’s waiting!”

 

Georgiana flinched but Bess simply thrust the dress at her with a scowl. She quickly pulled it on, noting that it was the same one she had worn last week, washed and darned in the few places where the moths had got to it. It was, sadly, the best dress she owned, having only a few that were cheap cast-offs from other people, and some in styles she didn’t even know existed anymore. This one in question had started off white but had faded to cream in time. Still, at least she looked fairly decent, she supposed, and, unlike her nightdress, the skirt and sleeves were long enough to cover her bruises.

 

“You’d better keep it clean,” Bess snapped. “It takes three days to get the border from here.”

 

“I’ll try to,” Georgiana replied, as obediently as she could.

 

“Try nothing!” Bess ordered. “Do it, or else!”

 

Georgiana bit back a sigh and just nodded.

 

Bess looked her up and down and wrinkled her nose at her. “Mm, you’ll pass, I suppose. But don’t you go getting any ideas above your station, now. Marrying royalty does not make you a blue blood, got it?”

 

“Yes, Bess,” Georgiana whispered.

 

“Speak up! Don’t mumble in front of the AllFather!”

 

“Yes, Bess.”

 

“Well, get moving!” Bess gave her a shove and Georgiana winced as she caught a bruise. Resignedly, she picked up the small bag, little more than a sack, which had been given to her the night before, and made her way slowly to the carriage, hoping her life would only get better from here.

 

Her Uncle, the Duke, was waiting for her, hat in his hand, ready to go. He towered over her and she always felt like a wilting weed under his trunk-like frame. Though he had been her Father’s brother, he had always insisted that she would not address him as “Uncle,” or anything familiar. “Only Duke,” he had ordered, and that was the way it had always been between them.

 

He looked her up and down, critically.

 

“You should have washed your hair.”

 

Georgiana frowned. “There wasn’t enough water,” she began, and then realised her mistake.

 

The Duke glared at her. “What have I told you about answering back?” When Georgiana’s only answer was to duck her head and brace herself for a blow, he grasped her shoulder and gave her a shake. “Well? What have I always told you?”

 

“Not to do it,” Georgiana whimpered. His grip would have hurt her arm anyway, but he was also holding the place where only five nights ago he had whipped her for spilling a glass of water on the floor.

 

The Duke raised his hand and she flinched. However, he lowered it and simply yanked her into the carriage. Georgiana fell against the seats and tried very hard not to start crying. He clambered in opposite her and she straightened herself, trying to look dignified.

 

He scowled at her. “If you do anything to mess this up-”

 

“I won’t,” Georgiana insisted, fighting down the flow of tears rising within her. “Duke,” she added, which seemed to calm him as he yelled for the driver to set off. She distracted herself by investigating the contents of the bag again, grateful at least to have some things to bring with her, even if they weren’t much. A few dresses and clean undergarments plus her nightdress had already been packed, along with a few plain ribbons, her toothbrush and a small wooden comb, which was new, nothing special, but which was hers to keep, and it filled her with a sense of pride to actually own something new.

 

The journey was spent mainly in silence, which made it all the more unbearable. The carriage took them through each night, only stopping to resupply or allow them a rest break. As usual, her meals were pitiful compared to the Duke’s, but she had never known any different, even though her body always screamed for more nourishment than just a handful of bread, a lump of cheese, a few grapes (if she was lucky) and a pitcher of water. She took Bess’s words to heart and was very careful to keep her dress in the same condition it had been in when she had first put it on. Sleeping proved to be a problem, partly because she didn’t want her dress to crumple and partly because the ride was so bumpy that it made it hard to sleep.

 

She awoke on the evening of the third day, having slept for most of it, feeling sick and weak with fatigue, to find the Duke staring out of the carriage window, a somewhat eager smirk on his face.

 

Pushing herself up, she rubbed her eyes.

 

“A-are we there?” she asked, timidly.

 

The Duke glanced at her and scowled. “You look a mess. Straighten yourself together,” he snapped.

 

Georgiana ran her hands through her hair and brushed sleep out of her eyes. “Sorry,” she murmured.

 

“And yes, we are there, but you’d better not talk so much.” The Duke pointed a gloved hand at her. “Remember yourself.”

 

Georgiana nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

 

The carriage came to a halt, and as usual the Duke alighted first. Georgiana remained where she was until signalled. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over her, nerves at meeting her betrothed for the first time. The marriage had been arranged to strengthen their ties and she had never questioned it, never argued or tried to get out of it in any way. Doing so would have only led to more pain.

 

 _Please don’t hate me,_ she begged silently, stepping down from the carriage.

 

The man standing before them surprised her. He was rather an old man, and she thought for a second that if he was a Prince then surely he must have risen to the rank of King by now. Then, the Duke spoke and it all made sense.

 

“AllFather,” he said, bowing. Georgiana took her cue and dipped a small curtsey, all the while feeling like even just standing up was an enormous effort. The AllFather looked rather intimidating, she noted, battle-scarred and with a patch over one eye, dressed in Asgardian armour and carrying a spear, but when he addressed her, his voice was softer than she had imagined, even though his single blue eye flashed with anger about something.

 

“You must be Georgiana,” he said.

 

Georgiana nodded, and then a swift elbow in her ribs, courtesy of the Duke, prompted her to stammer “Yes, I am, Your Majesty,” and dip another quick curtsey.

 

The AllFather nodded and turned his head.

 

“Loki!” he called. “Hurry up!”

 

The sound of approaching hooves reached them and Georgiana bit back a gasp as the young man who swung himself down from the saddle grinned a slightly mischievous grin at his Father. Odin just shook his head, slightly, and she sensed there was fondness there. _And small wonder,_ she thought to herself, for Prince Loki was without a doubt the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Not that there had been many, mind.

 

He looked at her and, blushing, feeling completely foolish and unsure of herself, she looked away, feeling herself trembling, although that was probably due to her lack of cloak on this chilly evening.

 

“Georgiana,” Odin said, by way of introduction, indicating the space between them. “Loki. Duke, may I have a word?”

 

The Duke looked confused but nodded. Together they moved off a little way and Georgiana felt Loki move closer to her.

 

“It’s nice to meet you at last,” he said.

 

His voice sounded nice, she thought, slightly deep and clear. She looked up again into his intense green eyes and stammered “Thank you. I mean, it’s nice to meet you too.” Scolding herself inwardly for being such an idiot, she looked at her feet.

 

“Are you cold?” Loki asked.

 

“A little bit,” Georgiana replied, wishing that the Duke was with her to tell her whether or not she was doing the right thing in conversing with him. Aside from her Uncle she had never been left alone in a room with a man before, and she had no idea what she was really doing. Then, glancing up at him, she saw him move his hands and she automatically flinched and drew out of his reach.

 

Loki looked at her, startled by her reaction, as he unfastened his cloak. “It’s alright,” he said, clearly confused by her fear. He held the cloak out to her. “I thought you might want this.”

 

Now it was Georgiana’s turn to be confused. Hesitantly, not wishing to seem rude by rejecting his offer, she reached out a hand and caught the silky-soft material, bright green, like most of his clothing. She looked up into his face. His expression was soft, almost like he was worried about something.

 

“W-won’t you be cold?” she asked, hating that she was stammering.

 

He offered her a smile, not like the mischievous one he had just given his Father, or like any of the creepy smirks her Uncle had ever given her, a small, kind smile. “No, I’m actually rather warm from all the riding. You take it.”

 

He handed it to her, slowly and gently, and she wrapped it carefully around her shoulders, immediately feeling a lot warmer. His eyes were focused on her face a lot, she noticed, and it made her feel shyer than usual. Ducking her head, she was almost relieved to hear her Uncle and the AllFather returning.

 

“Come, Loki,” Odin said, his tone a little sharper than it had been before. “Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana hung her head, but to her surprise Loki reached out to touch her arm. She jumped and glanced at him, seeing him indicating the way to the carriage. She frowned, and then realised that Odin, in saying her name, was not dismissing her, but stating that she, like Loki, was to follow him.

 

“We had a deal, AllFather,” the Duke spat. “What about the marriage?”

 

“It will take place when the bride is at least able to stand on her own two feet for it,” Odin replied, opening the carriage door. “Georgiana, make your goodbyes.”

 

For a second, Georgiana wondered if she was leaving one Hel for another. Odin seemed angry and she was sure that she had something to do with it. Then, feeling Loki’s cloak around her warming her up, she decided that the Asgardians were the lesser of the two evils, so she turned to the Duke and said “Goodbye, Duke,” quietly before moving, as Loki was indicating, to step into the carriage. The Duke shouted something she didn’t catch behind her, but it made Odin shake his head as he climbed onto the seat opposite hers and shut the doors.

 

Georgiana looked at him in surprise. “W-what about your son?”

 

Odin smiled, benevolently, at her, and she began to feel she had made the right choice after all. “He prefers to ride, always has done. Prefers that feeling of freedom.”

 

“Oh, I see,” Georgiana replied, looking at her feet.

 

The ride back to the palace didn’t take long at all, a matter of minutes, and as Georgiana caught her first glimpse of it through the doors as they were opened, she bit back another gasp of surprise. It had to be the most beautiful building in the world, glowing golden and shimmering even in the dying rays of the sun.

 

Then, suddenly, Loki was offering her his hand. Tentatively, she took it and allowed him to help her step from the carriage. Before she could thank him, however, Odin had stepped out beside them and the palace doors had swung open to reveal a woman with coppery-coloured hair, dressed in a silvery gown, making her way down the steps towards them.

 

Somehow Georgiana knew that she was the Queen, Odin’s wife and Loki’s mother, before she even reached them. Something about her was just regal and graceful, and she felt a stab inwardly that she might never be so.

 

She was beautiful too, her eyes as kind as that of her husband and son. With a smile, she reached out her hands and clasped Georgiana’s, seeming not to notice her scars at all.

 

“Welcome to Asgard, Georgiana,” she said, kindly, her words only serving to make Georgiana feel even more nervous, even though that had not been her intent.

 

She took a deep breath. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m honoured to be here.”

 

Frigga looked over at her husband and knew immediately that they needed to talk.

 

“Tell me,” she said, sweetly, to Georgiana, “how long has it taken you to get here? You must be quite tired.”

 

Georgiana nodded, trying to smile. “Yes, it has taken us three days to get from our...house.”

 

Well, she couldn’t bring herself to call it “home,” she just couldn’t.

 

Seeing the looks that passed between his parents, Loki turned to her and said “Then, please allow me to show you to your room.”

 

Georgiana looked up at him in surprise. Something about this man made her feel slightly more at ease than she ever had in anyone else’s presence, although she still couldn’t bring herself to trust him. Even so, he was giving her a lightly hopeful look, and she told herself inwardly that she would need to know where she was sleeping tonight and it would be rude to turn down his offer. So, she nodded and fell into step beside him as he led her up the stairs and into the palace.

 

“This place is so beautiful,” she said, looking around the grand corridors, splendid and like nothing she had ever seen before in her life.

 

“Well, I suppose I’m just used to it,” Loki replied with a smile, and she nodded, holding his cloak tightly about her. She had to hurry to keep up with him and he noticed this, immediately slowing his pace for her to catch up. “Sorry,” he apologised. “Force of habit, walking fast.”

 

“Oh, that’s alright,” Georgiana stammered, awkwardly. “I mean, it’s your home, you should be allowed to walk as fast as you want to.”

 

“I think it all stems from trying to keep up with my brother when we were younger,” Loki explained, seeming not to notice her stumbling over her words. “He always walked incredibly fast.”

 

“Oh, you have a brother?” Georgiana asked, surprised.

 

“Yes, Thor. He’s off somewhere with his friends at the minute.” Loki shook his head. “Shirking his duties as Crown Prince, as usual.”

 

There was no malice to his words, Georgiana noticed.

 

“Are you close?” she asked, just to keep the conversation going.

 

Loki looked at her and smiled. “Well, he is the best friend I’ve got.”

 

They reached a door painted white and gold and he pushed it open, again indicating for her to precede him. Nervously, Georgiana stepped inside and immediately covered her mouth with both hands, unable to hold back a gasp this time.

 

The room was huge compared to the one she had always used in Althrop, the floors polished marble and the walls painted white. Instead of just a small straw mattress in a corner of the room, a large four-poster bed stretched from one wall to almost halfway across the room. It was covered with a white coverlet, speckled with gold and had about four pillows propped against the headboard. Additionally, the room held a dressing table with a mirror, a small table, two chairs, an ornate wardrobe and chest of drawers, a bedside table, a fireplace, a large fur rug and a wide window leading onto a balcony.

 

“Th-this is my room?” Georgiana whispered.

 

“Hope it’s to your liking,” Loki replied, gently, closing the door behind him.

 

Slowly, unable to believe that she was being given something so grand, Georgiana padded across the floor and to the window. It didn’t open, however, when she pulled it, and she sighed. Then, she felt Loki beside her and jumped, looking up at him in surprise.

 

“Here, let me,” Loki murmured, unlatching the window and opening it for her.

 

Georgiana stepped slowly out onto the balcony and breathed an “Oh...” at the view. It was rather breathtaking. Her hands touched the cool, smooth marble of the balcony and she instantly felt entranced by the whole place. Loki came out to stand beside her, keeping his distance, however, not wanting to make her jump again. Eventually she turned to look at him and though she couldn’t manage to smile, she tried to make her expression seem softer, not so on her guard the entire time.

 

“You’re so lucky,” she murmured, “getting to see this every day.”

 

He smiled at her. “Well, now you will too.”

 

The way he was looking at her made her blush. She couldn’t help it. With his raven hair, charming smile and mischievous green eyes, how could any girl not when he was looking at them like that? Turning her head, she noticed another door in the rom that she hadn’t noticed before.

 

“Is that the bathroom?” she asked, shyly.

 

Loki looked where she was looking and nodded. “Yes.”

 

Georgiana made her way over to the door and was startled again by the grandeur of the place. Instead of a small wooden tub, a large white one ran almost the whole length of the room, with a matching washstand against one wall and a large mirror standing over it. Even the latrine was grander than what she was used to. Over against the opposite wall were a smaller series of drawers and a few boxes, filled, she assumed, with all sorts of bathroom necessities. The sides of the bath were home to a sponge and some bottles of brightly coloured liquid, which she was curious about, but she decided she would try those later.

 

She wandered back into her room to find that Loki had closed the window again and was standing waiting for her. He offered her a smile and finally she felt able to return it. Then, remembering something, she slipped his cloak off her shoulders and held it out to him.

 

“Thank you for this,” she said. “It...helped at lot.”

 

Loki took it gently from her with a nod. “You’re welcome. Well, if you feel you have everything you need, I’ll leave you to it.”

 

“Where do you sleep?” Georgiana asked, blushing like a fool again.

 

“My room’s just across the hall from yours,” Loki answered.

 

“Oh.” Awkwardly, Georgiana glanced at her feet. “Well...goodnight, then.”

 

“Goodnight, Georgiana.” Then, to her surprise, Loki took her hand, and before she could pull herself free, he pressed a kiss to the back of it, stunning her into immobility for a moment. No one had ever kissed her before, ever, in her entire life, even just on the hand, as was custom to in greeting woman. His touch sent a tingling feeling right through her body, and all she knew in that second was that she wanted him touching her. It was...addictive.

 

His eyes met hers and her breath caught in her throat for a second, robbing her of all speech. Then, she managed a nod. Loki smiled and dropped her hand.

 

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, and then he left.

 

Georgiana wandered over to the bed and hesitantly touched the covers. They were so soft, and the mattress felt so springy. Suddenly realising just how tired she was, she quickly undressed, pulled on her nightdress and did her best to get the tangles out of her hair before climbing into the warmth of the bed and closing her eyes, sleep coming easily to her for the first time in her life.

 

In the Throne Room, the mood was considerably less peaceful, as the entire Royal Family were deep in discussion. Odin had dismissed the servants so that it could just be the four of them in the room and now that Loki was back, he was catching up on what had been said before his arrival.

 

“She’ll need to see the healers,” Frigga said, shaking her head. “Did you see the way her collarbones were sticking out? That isn’t healthy.”

 

“She’s severely malnourished,” Odin added. “And I suspect not by her own doing. We need to see that she’s fed well.”

 

“I think she’s been beaten.” Odin, Frigga and Thor all glanced up at Loki, who hadn’t said anything up until now. “She flinched when I tried to give her my cloak, and she seems so nervous all the time,” he elaborated. “Like...someone’s going to hurt her.”

 

“More than likely,” Odin agreed, shaking his head. “Poor girl.”

 

“She’ll be alright, though, won’t she?” Thor asked, glancing at his Mother for reassurance.

 

Frigga nodded. “Under our care, yes.” She sighed. “It’s earning her trust that’s the difficult bit, if all she’s known is abuse.”

 

“I might be able to do that,” Loki said, slowly. “If I just spend some time with her, show her around Asgard, so she can see that no one here’s going to hurt her...”

 

Odin nodded. “That’s a good idea, Loki, give you a chance to get to know one another anyway.”

 

“What about the Duke?” Thor asked. “He can’t be happy about this delay of the wedding.”

 

“You leave the Duke to me, son,” Odin said. “All that matters now is making Georgiana feel safe.”

 

Loki nodded. He had known the second he saw her shy away from him that he had been born to do this, born to take care of this shy, vulnerable and absolutely beautiful young woman. It would just take patience, and a lot of understanding. And then, in time, perhaps she could come to trust him after all.


	2. "Darling, Don't Be Afraid"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

The sunlight woke her, and Georgiana opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room. Blinking, her first instinct was to panic; where was she? What had happened to her the night before? This felt strange, this thing she was sleeping on, surprisingly warm and soft...and then it all flooded back to her.

 

She sat up, noting once again how large the room was, and the bed too. It made her tiny mattress back in Althrop look quite pathetic by comparison, and she found herself wondering how she could ever have slept on something so uncomfortable. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she spotted the sack of her belongings still on the chair where she had left it, along with her clothes from the day before, since she had been too tired to put them away properly. She quickly got to her feet and picked them up, padding over to the vast wardrobe to put them away, along with the few other dresses she had brought with her. The clean underwear went away in a drawer, whilst the ribbons and comb went on the dressing table.

 

She smiled to herself, suddenly. She had never been allowed to use a dressing table before.

 

Looking around the room again, she wondered what her Uncle would think if he could see the room she had been given. Would he had told her that she wasn’t worth wasting such beautiful furnishings on, that she didn’t deserve this kind of treatment, being as clumsy and ungraceful as she was? A shudder ran through her. Yes, she noted, hanging her head, yes, he probably would.

 

A soft knock at the door startled her suddenly, and also surprised her. No one ever knocked when they wanted something from her; they always just barged their way into the room.

 

Perhaps it was someone’s way of waking her up.

 

Georgiana found her voice. “Yes?”

 

“It’s only me,” Loki’s voice replied from the other side of the door.

 

Curiously, Georgiana made her way over to the door and opened it. He was already dressed and she was in the middle of scolding herself for not having thought to do that first thing after waking up when he smiled at her and she found herself returning it.

 

“Um, come in,” she stammered, awkwardly, stepping back to let him pass. Loki couldn’t miss the bruises along her arms, as well as the scars along her shoulders, which had been covered up from him the night before, and he felt a surge of anger that anyone could have done that to her.

 

Still, he didn’t show it as he turned to her and replied in a gentle tone “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Did you sleep well?”

 

“Oh,” Georgiana replied, surprised that he actually cared about that. “Yes, thank you, the bed is very comfortable. I slept very well.”

 

“You don’t always have to talk so formally,” Loki smiled.

 

Georgiana blushed and glanced at her feet. “Sorry, I suppose it’s force of habit.”

 

Loki folded his arms and looked her up and down. “Is that your _only_ nightgown?”

 

She looked up at him with a frown. “Yes, why? What’s wrong with it?”

 

“Well, for a start, it barely covers your knees,” Loki replied, stepping closer to her, “and for another thing, we can’t have you spending a winter night in something that thin, you’ll freeze to death.”

 

Her blush deepened. “Well, I’m sorry, but I haven’t had a new nightgown for two years, so-”

 

“We’ll have to get that sorted,” Loki interrupted, and then another knock at the door made her start. Loki, however, didn’t seem at all surprised, as we opened the door and Georgiana’s eyes widened slightly as an unfamiliar man, dressed in servant’s garb, came in with a large covered silver tray. He was followed by a young woman, similarly dressed, carrying a large pitcher. Loki thanked them as they placed their burdens on the table, and they both bowed in acknowledgement to him before turning and leaving the room.

 

Loki looked up at her and smiled. “I thought we could take breakfast here together, if that’s alright.”

 

“Oh, yes,” Georgiana stammered, going up to the table. She was surprised by how much food the tray carried, it was certainly more for breakfast than she would ever have eaten back in Althrop, although to Loki it was just the average amount of food for two people to have first thing in the morning, and she looked at him with wide eyes. “Is this all for us?”

 

Loki smiled at her. “No one will blame you if you don’t finish it all.” Hesitantly, Georgiana picked up the plate in front of her and automatically moved to sit on the rug. Loki looked at her in surprise. “What are you doing?”

 

She glanced at him. “I always did this back at...back in Althrop.” With a small shrug, Loki brought his own plate to where she sat, along with two goblets of whatever was in the pitcher. Georgiana offered him an apologetic smile and then glanced at the goblet he handed her. “What’s this?”

 

“Mead,” Loki replied, surprised. “You’ve never had it before?” Georgiana shook her head. “Well, I think you’ll like it.”

 

Georgiana took a careful sip and felt an immediate feeling of warmth flow into her. She did like it very much. “Mmm,” she sighed, closing her eyes.

 

Loki laughed. “Yes, I think that was my reaction the first time too.”

 

“It’s gorgeous,” Georgiana sighed, opening her eyes. “Like...drinking Valhala.” Then, she looked away from him. “Sorry, that sounds stupid, doesn’t it?”

 

“No,” Loki replied, honestly, and when she looked in his eyes, she knew he meant it. “It actually sounds quite poetic.”

 

Gratefully, Georgiana turned her attention to her food. Aside from bread and some cheese, there was also cold ham, cold chicken, cold salmon, a mixture of fresh fruits and some strangely shaped little pastries. She tried one of those first and was surprised to find that they tasted sweet, and delicious. In the end, she found that she was actually able to manage everything on her platter, because it all tasted so good and she was hungrier than she had expected. Thankfully, though, Loki didn’t point this out or make her feel awkward for it.

 

They ate in silence, and it was only when she reached for her goblet again that any sound was made. She had been being so careful about not spilling or dropping anything in front of him, but somehow or other it still happened, her hand collided with the goblet and it clattered forwards, spilling mead all over the floor.

 

Georgiana let out a gasp of “Oh, I’m so sorry!” and Loki got to his feet. Automatically, she threw her arms over her head and curled into herself, waiting for the shouting and the beating she was sure was to come. She just hoped he would make it quick.

 

Loki looked at her in surprise, confused by her reaction. Without saying a word, he went over to table, took up one of the napkins and began to mop up the spilled mead. Then, seating himself in front of her, he said “Georgiana?”

 

His voice made her flinch and curl further into herself.

 

Loki sighed and reached out to touch her, stopping himself at the last minute as he suddenly realised what was going through her mind. It stung, he realised, knowing that she still didn’t trust him not to hurt her.

 

“Georgiana, please look at me,” he said, his tone firm but gentle. Slowly, Georgiana lowered her arms and looked up at him. Her eyes were a mixture of fear and confusion, a confusion that matched his own. What horrors had she gone through that made her react like this? “Did you think I was going to _hit_ you?” he asked. She nodded. “Why?” Loki asked.

 

Georgiana frowned. This had not been what she had been expecting from him.

 

“Well...” She gestured to the spill beneath the napkin. “I made a mess...”

 

Loki looked even more confused. “So? You didn’t do it on purpose and it’s easily cleaned up.”

 

“But...” Georgiana frowned, seeing he truly didn’t know why she deserved to be punished for such a small thing. “I-I-I’m so clumsy...and I shouldn’t be...” She trailed off and looked at her feet. “You’re not going to punish me?”

 

Now it all made sense. The amount of bruises on her skin had already triggered his suspicions of domestic abuse, but now he had the reasons for it. The Duke hadn’t seen it as abuse, he had seen it as discipline, and she had had it beaten into her so much that she was frightened of doing anything in case it was wrong and she was beaten for it.

 

This small, thin, frightened woman had known nothing in her life but pain.

 

Feeling his heart breaking for her, Loki moved closer to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her close. He would take care of her, he vowed, he would always be there when she needed him.

 

Georgiana frowned. “What are you doing?”

 

Ah. She had never been hugged either.

 

“I’m hugging you,” Loki replied, tucking his chin onto the top of her head and resisting the urge to kiss her hair. He had to take things slowly with her, he reminded himself, they had all the time in the world for everything else. Kissing could come later.

 

“Why?” Georgiana asked, her voice muffled against his chest. “I thought you had to do something special to be hugged.”

 

Loki frowned. “Who’s been telling you that?”

 

“Everyone I know,” Georgiana replied. “All my life.”

 

“Well, Georgiana,” Loki replied, the hint of a smile in his voice, “what you’ve been told is a complete lie. A person doesn’t have to have done anything special to deserve a hug. People get hugged for all sorts of reasons, whether it’s because they’re upset or happy or scared, or even just because they need one.” He tightened his grip on her, slightly. “And right now I’d say you definitely need one.”

 

Georgiana was quiet a moment and then she stammered “Does that mean...I can hug you too?”

 

“Of course,” Loki murmured.

 

Hesitantly, Georgiana slipped her arms around him, and then buried her face in his chest. He smelled nice, she realised, although she couldn’t place what that scent actually was, but it was comforting, the smell of him.

 

“I like this,” she said.

 

Loki smiled. “Good, because I plan to hug you as often as possible.”

 

After a minute’s hesitation, Georgiana asked “L-Loki?”

 

She felt it was safe to call him by his name since he had just done that to her.

 

“Yes, Georgiana?”

 

“Would it be alright if I had some more mead?”

 

Loki laughed and released her. “Of course. You don’t need to ask.”

 

Georgiana glanced at her knees. “I was taught it was polite.”

 

“Well, yes, it is, but this is going to be your home now,” Loki replied, reaching for her goblet, causing her to look up in surprise. He smiled at her. “I don’t want you to feel like a stranger.”

 

Georgiana managed a smile as he filled the goblet for her and handed it back to her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

 

Loki nodded and sat back down in front of her again. “When you’re finished, I was thinking I could show you around the palace. That is, if you’d like to see it.”

 

She nodded and put down her goblet. “Yes, I think I would.” Then, awkwardly, she added, “But is it alright if I bathe first?”

 

“Of course,” Loki replied, picking up the platters. “I’ll wait for you.”

 

Georgiana clambered quickly to her feet and went into the bathroom, hoping that she hadn’t embarrassed him by forcing him to sit with her looking as awful as she did. Then, she realised that the bathroom lacked in one thing; a jug to fill the bath with.

 

“Um...Loki?” she called. “How do I fill the bath?” Loki wandered into the bathroom and she turned to him blushing furiously. “There’s no jug for the water...”

 

Loki smiled. “You don’t need one,” he replied, leaning over and causing water to pour from some strange affixtures attached to the bathtub.

 

Georgiana stared in surprise as steam began to rise from the water and she backed away. “Is it meant to do that?”

 

She gestured to the steam.

 

Loki frowned. “Well, yes, hot water does that.”

 

“Hot?” Georgiana felt her spirits rise. “There’s hot water?”

 

“Yes, there’s always-” Loki broke off and looked at her. “Don’t tell me they made you wash in cold water?”

 

“Sometimes it was warm,” Georgiana replied. “If I’d been good.” Then, awkwardly, she added, “Mainly I washed in cold.”

 

Loki just shook his head and threw some of the coloured liquid in one of the bottles into the bath, causing bubbles to form, and a sweet, soapy scent to fill the air. When the bath was full, he stopped the flow of water and turned to her. “I’ll wait outside.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Georgiana replied, which surprised him. “I’m used to not bathing alone.” Then, she proceeded to pull her nightdress off over her head, and Loki quickly turned away from her. She sighed, dropping the gown to the floor and turned to face herself in the mirror. The bruises and scars on her skin were terrible, and she took a deep breath to keep herself from crying. “I’m sorry I’m not what you expected,” she said, turning away from the mirror. “I know I look repulsive.”

 

Loki spun around to face her. “Don’t say that, Georgiana. You are _not_ repulsive.”

 

“Then, why aren’t you looking at me?”

 

He met her eyes. “I thought you might like some privacy.”

 

She frowned. “Privacy? What’s that?”

 

So many things were new to her, Loki realised, but he had assumed that she had at least been allowed a private moment or two to herself in her life. The fact that she hadn’t shocked him. What shocked him even more, however, was the fact that the scars and bruises didn’t just stop at her arms and legs, they covered her back and chest too.

 

Slowly, he stepped towards her and placed his hands on her arms, causing her to look up at him.

 

“You are _not_ repulsive,” he repeated, his tone softer, “but what’s been done to you is horrific.”

 

Georgiana looked at her feet, shyly. “I thought it was normal.”

 

“No, Georgiana,” Loki replied. “Nothing about this is normal.”

 

She stepped into the bath, falling instantly in love with the soothing feel of the warm water on her skin. Turning as she climbed in, she fixed Loki with an appealing look. “Will you stay and talk to me?”

 

Loki was surprised by her request but he found himself nodding. He seated himself on the floor beside the bathtub as Georgiana leaned back in the water, feeling that this was what Valhala would be like, warm and comforting. Then, as she reached for the sponge, Loki surprised both of them by picking it up for her.

 

“Will you let me wash you?” he asked, meeting her curious gaze.

 

Georgiana hesitated, and then nodded. He would know how to wash her properly, she figured. Gently, Loki took her arm and began to wash her. His touch was soothing, Georgiana realised, and she felt her eyes drift closed. Loki relaxed, seeing her relax, and continued to bathe her, being careful not to hurt here anywhere that was bruised, and being extremely careful not to linger when it came to her chest and anything lower down. Her eyelids fluttered when he touched her in those places but when all he did was wash her, she relaxed into his touch again. She supposed that if they were to be married, she was going to have to get used to being touched by him, and he was being surprisingly gentle with her.

 

It was a welcome change.

 

“Do you want me to wash your hair?” Loki asked, bringing her back to herself.

 

Georgiana opened her eyes and nodded. “Yes, I would like that.”

 

Loki smiled and rolled back his sleeves. Georgiana sat forwards a little for him to reach, and then her eyes drifted back shut as he touched her again. His fingers massaged her scalp lightly, and she enjoyed the motion, like a cat being stroked by its owner. No one had ever touched her in such an intimate manner before; back in Althrop she had had to wash her own hair, and then in cold water with no soap. It was strange. She could get used to it.

 

“Your hair’s a different colour,” Loki said, suddenly.

 

With a start, she sat up and turned to him. He was holding a wet lock of her hair in one hand, and she could see that now the dirt and dust had all been stripped away it was its usual rich blonde colour.

 

“Oh,” she said. “Yes, I didn’t get a chance to wash it before we came here.”

 

Loki “hm’d,” as he finished washing her hair, and then added, “It’s a beautiful shade. Like spun gold.”

 

Georgiana blushed at that.

 

When he was done, she was surprised to find that the towel she was given was not only considerably larger than the drying cloth she had always used before, but was also much softer. She was just drying herself off when there came yet another knock at the door, causing her to jump and look at Loki, questioningly.

 

“I’ll get it,” he told her, leaving the room.

 

Georgiana wrapped the towel around herself and listened, hearing Loki talking to someone in her room, and then the sound of the door closing. Hesitantly, she padded into the bedroom and stared in surprise at what lay now on her bed.

 

Ignoring the clean white cotton undergarments, her gaze fell on the beautiful dress beside them. It was made of shimmery material, velvet green in colour, the same shade, she noted, as Loki’s tunic, and sleeveless, its neckline high enough to cover her collarbone and edged with gold thread, its back decorated with a criss-cross of ribbons. When she picked it up, the skirt fell only just above her ankles and she saw that it too was edged with gold.

 

It had to be the most beautiful dress she had ever seen in her life. So far.

 

Looking up, she met Loki’s slightly bemused gaze.

 

“I-is this for me?” she whispered.

 

“I should hope so,” Loki couldn’t resist quipping. “It’s not _my_ size.” Georgiana managed a nervous giggle. “No, my Mother had it made for you. She said you should have some better clothes. I’ll tell her you need something to sleep in as well.” Georgiana felt like she wanted to cry and it must have showed because he touched her arm, gently, and murmured “Hey, are you alright?”

 

His concern made her want to cry even more. Blinking back her tears, she admitted “I’ve never had a new dress before. All mine were second-hand.”

 

Then, pulling herself together, she began to dress, revelling in the feel of new undergarments too.

 

“If it’s too big, we can have it taken in,” Loki said as she pulled the dress over her head. “It’s not a problem.”

 

Georgiana adjusted the bodice and then looked at him. “No, it fits perfectly.”

 

He smiled at her. “You look beautiful.”

 

Georgiana hung her head. “You don’t have to be nice.”

 

“I’m not.” Loki stepped closer to her and she raised her head, seeing nothing in his eyes but honesty. He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “You are very beautiful, Georgiana. I just wish you could see it.”

 

Blushing, Georgiana dropped her hand and adjusted her skirt a little. “Well...thank you, Loki,” she said, softly. “No one’s ever called me beautiful before. Shall we?” she added, indicating the door, seeing that Loki was about to say something else.

 

With a nod, Loki led the way out of her room and Georgiana breathed out. Having never been called “beautiful” before, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted Loki to know everything she _had_ been called in her seventeen years living under the Duke’s roof.


	3. "Today Is Where Your Book Begins"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

Loki felt a rush of pity for her as they left the room. Not only had she led a sheltered and pain-filled existence, but a lonely one too. Had no one in that place really ever referred to her as “beautiful” before? Couldn’t they see that she was? He had been about to express his sympathies to her when she had interrupted him before the words could even come out. Clearly it was as subject that she was uncomfortable with, and since the task at hand involved getting her to open up about herself, not shrink away from him, he deflected the conversation from that direction.

 

“If you ever want to explore this place,” he told her, “on your own, you’re free to. No one will try to stop you.”

 

Georgiana nodded. “How big is this palace?”

 

“Altogether, there are about seventy rooms,” Loki began.

 

“Seventy?”

 

He chuckled. “Give or take a few. But you’ll get used to it, trust me.”

 

“How do you not get lost?” Georgiana asked, amazed by the vastness of the place.

 

“Well, I’ve lived here all my life, so I know my way around quite well,” Loki replied, with a smile. “But if you ever do get lost, there’ll always be someone who can help.”

 

Georgiana nodded again. It was strange, she thought; the Duke had told her that a Prince wouldn’t want a wife who did a lot of talking, and yet here was Prince Loki making it plain that he actually _wanted_ to talk to her.

 

What else, she wondered, had been a lie from her Uncle?

 

They wandered in and out of many of the rooms - which were often filled only by servants going about their every day jobs. Each one bowed, curtseyed or nodded with respect to them before going back to their tasks – and the few that they could not enter, Loki told her, were his parents private rooms, as well as the Throne Room, which was currently in use. Georgiana was fascinated by it all; the glittering ballroom, the armoury with its glistening weapons and battle protectors, and the kitchens with their warm atmosphere and scent of freshly baked rolls.

 

“And this is my favourite room of all,” Loki said, finally, pushing open the two vast doors at the end of the highest corridor of the palace. He gestured for Georgiana to precede him, and as she stepped inside, she gasped in wonder.

 

The room was a library, much larger than any of the other rooms they had visited, and filled with shelves of books all around, so many that they formed a wooden maze right in the heart of the room. Set aside in one corner beside a vast, ornate fireplace were two long couches, a few pouffes and an elegant polished wooden table, the corner set aside for reading and, glancing upwards, Georgiana saw that the crystal ceiling above them was clear enough for the sun to peer through, filling the whole room with golden warmth.

 

“Oh...” she uttered, unable to say anything else. There were more books in this room than she had ever seen anywhere else in her seventeen years in Althrop. It was amazing that one room could contain so many.

 

Loki smiled as he closed the door behind him. “No one else really comes in here, well, unless they want me for something, so I’m usually alone here. But that’s nice, in a way, it makes it _my_ place. But it can be yours too,” he added, seeing Georgiana hesitantly stretch out a hand to the nearest shelf, her fingers brushing the spines of several books there.

 

Georgiana hesitated, not sure how to tell him the truth. “Thank you,” she said, softly, glancing over to the corner of the room. “Those chairs look very comfortable.”

 

“I often sit there to read,” Loki replied, stepping up to her. “Or I take books to my room. You can do that too, if there’s ever one you want to read in bed or-”

 

He was cut off as she turned to face him with a sorrowful look.

 

“I can’t,” she admitted, sadly, looking at her feet. “That is...I can’t read. Or write.”

 

Loki stared at her for a moment. “No one ever taught you?”

 

She shook her head. With her hands behind her back and her head bowed, she looked even younger than she was, like a scolded child in disgrace. “My Uncle always said that there was no point in teaching me, because men don’t like women who are cleverer than they are. And he didn’t want anything to upset his agreement with your Father.”

 

Loki reached out and touched her arm, causing her to look up at him. “You know, personally, I find clever women very attractive,” he told her, honestly.

 

She raised her head a little more, her expression brightening hopefully. “Really?”

 

“Really.” Then, seeing her glance sideways at the books again and sigh a little, he added “I can teach you, that is, if you’d like to learn.”

 

Georgiana looked back sharply at him. “You can?”

 

He smiled. “Yes, I can. Would you like me to?”

 

She nodded, not trusting her voice, and Loki turned his attention to the shelf, searching along the rows of books until he found what he was looking for. Pulling the thick, somewhat dusty volume off the shelf, he turned to her and said “Come on,” before leading the way over to the reading corner. Conjuring some paper and a pencil out of midair, which caused Georgiana to blink at him in wonder, he laid everything down on the table and seated himself on one of the couches. Georgiana perched gingerly on the opposite one, wondering how he had just plucked objects from the air like that.

 

Perhaps he had actually picked them up in passing and she hadn’t noticed, she wondered.

 

Loki picked up the pencil and quickly made some markings on the paper, which Georgiana thought had to be letters, but she had no idea what they read. He turned it upside down and pushed it towards her, along with the pencil.

 

“First,” he said, “I want you to copy out what I’ve just written, underneath it.”

 

Her hand trembling slightly, Georgiana took the pencil from him and was quickly able to work out how to hold it the way he had done. She looked at him for confirmation and Loki nodded, offering her an encouraging smile, which gave her a little more confidence. Taking a deep breath, she began to move the pencil across the paper in the same way she had seen him do, copying out each letter with care and precision, although her shaking still made each one ever so slightly wobbly. But Loki didn’t comment, simply watched her until she had finished the last one and put down the pencil nervously. Then, he looked up at her with a smile.

 

“Do you know what you’ve just written?” he asked.

 

Georgiana shook her head. “N-no.”

 

Loki picked up the pencil and touched each letter with it, spelling it out for her. “G-E-O-R-G-I-A-N-A. You’ve written your own name.”

 

Georgiana looked down at the paper in surprise. “Georgiana...that’s how it’s spelled?”

 

Loki smiled at her. “Yes. Fairly straightforward. So, now,” he added, taking back the paper and copying out the entire alphabet for her, “I want you to do the same for me with the letters of the alphabet.”

 

“How many letters are there?” Georgiana asked.

 

“Twenty six.”

 

“Twenty six? How do you remember them all?”

 

Loki laughed, softly. “Plenty of practise.”

 

He held out the pencil to her and this time she took it with a little more confidence. He sounded out each letter as she wrote it, being extremely patient with her, not once hurrying her or getting irritated if she made a mistake. If she did, or got stuck, he would just take the pencil from her and show her again, before giving it back to her and encouraging her to try again. Eventually the paper was covered in more grey letters than white spaces and he laid his hand over hers, which was still holding the pencil and still trembling slightly.

 

“You see?” he said, gently. “You can do it.”

 

Georgiana managed a smile. “That wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.”

 

“Well, at least you have more patience than Thor,” Loki smiled. “It took him about two months to get it right.”

 

She giggled, nervously. “Does he not enjoy it, then?”

 

“He’d prefer to be outside, practising for battle,” Loki answered. “But he’s built for that sort of thing. I was built for studying the written word. But that doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own in a fight,” he added, giving her a slightly mischievous look.

 

Georgiana laid down the pencil. “Have you been in many battles?”

 

“A few.”

 

“Is it scary?”

 

“Very. But when you know what you’re doing, and you know you have a strong army behind you all the way, it makes it easier.”

 

Georgiana glanced at her knees. “You must be very brave. I don’t think I could do that, be in a fight.”

 

He squeezed her hand, gently. “It just takes practise, like a lot of things. Thor and I have been training for such things all our lives.” Then, he took her hand in both of his and pressed a kiss to the back of it, murmuring sincerely, “I don’t think there’s anything you can’t do, if you put your mind to it.”

 

He was so gentle with her, Georgiana thought, it was like he was actually afraid of hurting her.

 

“Have you ever been hurt in a battle?” she stammered.

 

“Once or twice,” Loki replied, “but we always have healers on the field to help us. You don’t need to worry,” he added as her eyes clouded slightly with something that looked like fear, “it will take more than an enemy army to bring me down for good.”

 

Looking at him, Georgiana could believe him. He might not be built like a tree, as she knew most warriors to be, from the stories she had picked up living in Althrop, anyway, but she could tell that he was strong and she could imagine him being nimble, light on his feet, and quick with whatever weapon he chose to fight with. So, she nodded and then murmured “Can we..?” indicating the paper between them.

 

“Of course.” Loki released her hand and picked up the pencil. “Seems I was getting distracted there, sorry.”

 

Georgiana smiled and watched as he drew out more words for her to copy. It was rather easy to get to grips with, she noted, once she could remember how each letter was pronounced, though Loki was quick to point out that there were some letters that had different pronunciations depending on how they were used and words that were pronounced differently to how they were spelled. He watched her copy each one admiringly. She was a fast learner. He liked that. And though she hadn’t been able to read and write before, he sensed that she was still clever, in many ways.

 

And he liked clever women.

 

“That’s how your name’s spelled?” Georgiana asked when she had written it.

 

He smiled. “Yes, it’s quite a bit shorter than yours.”

 

“Only by five letters,” she replied.

 

Loki moved himself a little closer to the table. “Your Uncle taught you to count but not to read or write?”

 

Georgiana shrugged. “He said that everyone needs to learn to count, even women.”

 

Loki scowled at the expression.  _Even_ women; what on Asgard was that supposed to mean? Oh, that man had a lot to answer for.

 

“Do you know what I think?” he said, presently. When she looked at him, curiously, he went on, “I think you’re ready to try reading now.”

 

Georgiana felt her stomach lurch. “What? But...I can’t...”

 

“Yes,” Loki insisted, getting up and moving to sit beside her. Georgiana felt slightly nervous at such close proximity but made no move to shy away from him. “You can.” He picked up the book and opened it at a random page, flicking a few pages back to the beginning of the story. “Here, try reading this sentence to me.”

 

Nerves took over and she shook her head. “Loki...I can’t...”

 

“If you can write, you can read,” Loki replied, gently, pushing the book into her hands. “Just spell each word out in your head first and then try pronouncing it.”

 

Hesitantly, Georgiana glanced at the words on the page. She had to admit that they seemed to make more sense to her now than they had always used to. After a few deep breaths, she managed to read aloud “O-once...upon...a...time, the-there...was...a w-well...in...the...mi-middle...of...a...field...and in...this well, the-there...lived...a dragon.”

 

She closed her eyes with a sigh and then looked up to meet Loki’s eyes. He offered her an encouraging look.

 

“I told you you could do it.”

 

“But I made so many mistakes,” she began.

 

“Well, I wasn’t expecting you to pick it up right away,” Loki replied, softly. “But you did manage to read it, so I’m sure you’ll be able to read the rest in time.”

 

Georgiana frowned at him, lowering the book into her lap. “You mean...it’s alright to make mistakes sometimes?”

 

“Of course it is. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time.” Loki’s expression changed to a more serious one. “I don’t expect you to be completely perfect, Georgiana.”

 

Her frown deepened. “You don’t? Then, why did my Uncle expect you to want me that way?”

 

“Because he has a different idea about how things work in Asgard,” Loki replied, slipping his hand over hers and squeezing it again. “Yes, some men want their wives to be perfect all the time, but that isn’t what I want from you.”

 

Georgiana looked at him with wide eyes. “Then...what is?”

 

Loki smiled. “Just be the person you are.”

 

Blushing, Georgiana glanced down at the book. “Do...do you want me to read the next sentence? I mean...I think I can.”

 

“I know you can,” Loki replied, and that was all the encouragement she needed. Stumbling over her words, she managed to complete the next sentence, and the next one, and the next, until suddenly the words began to come easily to her. Loki sat up a little straighter as she made less and less mistakes and came to the end of the story. When she did, however, she seemed a little bit disappointed.

 

He frowned at her. “Did you not enjoy that?”

 

“Oh, yes, I did,” Georgiana replied, looking puzzled, “but...all these pages for one small story like that?”

 

To her surprise, Loki laughed. “That isn’t the whole book, Georgiana. These are fairytales, short stories parents tell their children.” He took the book from her and flipped through it, showing her that there were more stories inside it than just that one. “Not all books are just one long story.”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana brightened. “Can...can we do another one?”

 

Loki smiled at her. “Why don’t I read one to you? Would you like that?”

 

Georgiana nodded and Loki flicked through the book until he found one that he thought she would enjoy, about a princess in a tower and a prince who wanted to save her. She listened to him, intently, feeling she could easily fall asleep to him reading aloud to her.

 

They had just reached the end of the story when the doors opened and they both looked up in surprise to see Frigga making her way towards them, a gentle smile lighting her motherly features.

 

“There you two are,” she said, shaking her head. “I suppose I should have guessed.”

 

“We got a little sidetracked,” Loki explained, holding up the book.

 

“Loki’s teaching me to read,” Georgiana added, blushing.

 

“Oh, well, can you spare him a minute?” Frigga asked, raising her eyebrows at her youngest son. He knew that look; the “we need to talk now,” one that he was so used to. “Just briefly?”

 

“Oh, yes,” Georgiana stammered as Loki closed the book and handed it back to her.

 

“Won’t be long,” he promised her, getting to his feet and following his Mother to the doorway.

 

Frigga folded her arms and fixed her son with a mock stern expression. “Loki, I’ve just been in the Healing Room-”

 

Loki knew what she was going to say and he clapped a hand to his forehead. “I know,” he replied. “I forgot.”

 

“She needs to go there as soon as possible,” Frigga replied. “I know that would mean letting her out of your sight for a second-”

 

Loki glanced at her. “What’s that meant to mean?”

 

Frigga just smiled and patted his shoulder. “I see more than you think, my son.”

 

With that, she slipped from the room.

 

Loki made his way back to Georgiana, who had re-opened the book and was looking down the index of stories listed on the front page. She looked up at him. “This book contains more stories than there are letters in the alphabet.”

 

Loki smiled and took the book from her hands. “I’m afraid we have to leave the reading for now. You need to see the healers.”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana looked surprised. “But I’m not ill.”

 

“They just want to check where you’ve been hurt,” Loki explained. “Make sure nothing’s infected, or badly damaged.”

 

“Oh.” She got to her feet. “Alright.”

 

Loki fell into step beside her as he led her from the library and back down the stairs. “We can come back and finish reading when you’re done.”

 

She smiled up at him. “More of those stories?”

 

“Yes,” Loki promised.

 

As they reached the Healing Room, Georgiana felt nervous again. It was different, she realised, being around Loki, she was getting used to him touching her, but with other people, it was still a bit scary. “W-will you come in with me?” she asked.

 

“If you want me to,” Loki answered. Of course he wasn’t going to let her go through this on her own, and besides he wanted to hear for himself what their verdict was.

 

The healers were extremely friendly, which made her feel at ease, and they were also patient and understanding if, and when, she flinched or shied away from their touches. Loki had a feeling his Mother had probably told them in advance that Georgiana had been abused all her life. She had no problems, however, when the wanted her to strip off so that they could examine her entire body, and he remembered how at ease she had been doing so in front of him. Well, if she had never had any privacy in her entire life, then she had no need to feel self-conscious about such things, he noted.

 

Eventually, she was instructed to dress again, and Loki took Eir, the chief healer, to one side.

 

“Well?” he asked.

 

“Well, she’s got several bones that have been broken over the years and not healed properly, she’s going to need them to be fixed before she leaves,” Eir replied, “and she’s severely undernourished, with a slight touch of scurvy, bleeding gums and dry eyes, but none of the wounds she’s sustained look to have been infected. She needs to be fed well and I’d like to keep an eye on her blood sugar levels if I may, but it will be up to you and your family to make sure that she does eat.”

 

Loki nodded. “That won’t be a problem. Where are her bones broken?”

 

“Collar, right ankle and left wrist,” Eir replied. “It may hurt a little to reset them because they look to have been broken quite a long time ago, I’d say three years at least.”

 

“Three years?” Loki was appalled that anyone could have done such a thing to Georgiana, and let her suffer so long.

 

“She might want you to hold her hand,” Eir ventured, with a small smile.

 

Loki nodded and walked up to where Georgiana was straightening her dress. She smiled up at him. “Georgiana, will you let Eir reset your broken bones? It won’t take long.”

 

Georgiana glanced nervously at Eir and then asked in a tiny voice “Will it hurt?”

 

“A little, but not for long,” Loki replied.

 

“It is for the best, my Lady,” Eir added, coming up to her. “You will feel better afterwards.”

 

Georgiana looked at Loki and then nodded. “Alright.”

 

Eir smiled and helped her up onto the table, instructing her to lie back as the healers milled around her. Georgiana looked nervously at Loki, who came up and slipped his hand into hers.

 

“It will be alright,” he whispered, and she believed him. And even when the bone resetting did hurt, it was nothing compared to everything she had suffered at the hands of her Uncle.

 

“That wasn’t so bad,” she said, softly, sitting up.

 

Eir nodded. “You should have really been sent to a proper healer the day you got those injuries, my Lady, it would have hurt less.”

 

Loki couldn’t help smiling at Eir’s clear disapproval of what had been done to his wife-to-be. He helped her down from the table. “Come on, I think we should take lunch in the library.”

 

“Lunch?” Georgiana repeated. “What’s that?”

 

Loki blinked at her. “The meal between breakfast and dinner.”

 

“There’s a meal _between_ them?”

 

Loki and Eir exchanged a glance. Well, that explained a few things about her malnourishment and scurvy.

 

“Come on,” he said, leading her from the room. “We’ll have lunch and get back to our reading.”

 

Georgiana followed him, the prospects of an early meal and reading in the library with Loki lifting her heart considerably.


	4. "And Surely Now Her Tears Will Flow..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

 

Lunch, Georgiana found, was an interesting concept; enough food to keep one from feeling hunger throughout the day until dinner, but not enough to actually be called dinner. What was even more interesting was eating it on the library floor with Loki, surrounded entirely by books she now might actually be able to read.

 

Loki watched her carefully as they ate, causing her to blush each time she glanced up and caught him looking at her. Eventually, however, he noticed he was causing her discomfort.

 

“Sorry, I don’t mean to stare,” he apologised.

 

She managed a smile. “It’s alright. I’m just not used to people actually wanting to look at me.”

 

It tore a little at Loki’s heart to hear her say that, and so casually too, as if such treatment was normal.

 

“Are you sure you’ve had enough to eat?” he asked her, deciding against bringing up the pain of her past again. After all, she had come here to get away from all that. “I can call for more if you’re still hungry.”

 

Georgiana shook her head, swallowing her last mouthful of fruit. “No, thank you, this was more than enough.”

 

Loki reached over and touched her hand, or rather laid his fingers over hers, given the distance between them. “Are you sure? You don’t need to be polite if you’re still hungry.”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “No, I feel like if I eat any more, I’ll burst.” Then, blushing, she ducked her head. “Sorry, that...wasn’t very ladylike, was it?”

 

Loki smiled. “Doesn’t matter, there’s only me here.”

 

She raised her head. “You don’t mind?”

 

Loki squeezed her fingers, gently. “I don’t expect you be graceful and ladylike all the time, Georgiana, especially when it’s just us. I don’t want you feel you have to put on a front all the time. You can just be yourself.”

 

Georgiana glanced at the floor. “You’re not ashamed of me?”

 

Loki was shocked she could even think such a thing. “No, I’m not.” She met his gaze and saw that he was being entirely sincere. “I’m proud to be marrying you, Georgiana, after all you’ve gone through, and survived through.”

 

Proud? She hadn’t been expecting that. Why did he have to be so nice? It made her want to cry.

 

“Th-that’s very kind of you to say,” she stammered, hating herself for not feeling like she could complete a coherent sentence around him. He didn’t seem to notice that she did that, though, or else he chose not to notice. At any rate, he didn’t make her feel like a fool because of it.

 

Her Uncle would have done.

 

 _“Speak properly!”_ she could hear him shouting in her mind, followed by another hard lash of the crop. _“You think that any man will want a wife who can’t speak? Well? Do you?”_

 

And the crop would open up another patch of skin that had previously been fine, and mark a new range of scarring across her back and shoulders.

 

Involuntarily, she gave a shudder, without actually meaning to, but Loki noticed.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked, concerned.

 

She looked up at him. “Yes, just...reliving a memory, that’s all.”

 

Loki badly wanted to kiss her, wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her tightly, kiss her hair, and whisper to her that she would never have to be afraid ever again now that she was here. But once again, he restrained himself. After all, she was only just beginning to get used to his touches.

 

But he would tell her that. At some point.

 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he said, and she looked at him in confusion. He elaborated. “If I’d know what you were going through, I would have been there in a heartbeat. I would have rescued you from that place.”

 

Something stirred inside her when he said that, a flurrying feeling, similar to how she had felt when he had read her the story of that princess in the tower. When she had found her prince in that, and they had declared their mutual love for one another, she had felt a wonderful feeling like butterflies in her stomach, and it was back now, hearing him talk like a character in a story, it was...romantic, she supposed, since she had never learned much about romance in her seventeen years spent in pain and scorn. It was a nice feeling knowing that someone actually did care about her.

 

“But how could you have known?” she asked, softly. “We’d never met before yesterday.”

 

Loki smiled, sadly, at her. “I know there’s no way I could have known, but still...knowing I couldn’t have stopped it makes me feel a bit useless.”

 

Searching for something to say that might stop him from looking so forlorn, Georgiana landed on, “Well...at least I won’t get any more of these now...will I?” as touched her arm with her free hand, where a particularly nasty bruise was still yellow against her skin.

 

Loki smiled. “No,” he agreed, before picking up her hand in his, raising it level with their eyes. Georgiana noticed that he was focused on her scald scars. “How did you get these ones?” he asked, gently.

 

She sighed. “I told you, I’m clumsy. It happened when I was seven. My Uncle had not long met Bess and she was bathing in her suite and wanted me to talk with her. Well,” she added, sadly, “when I say “talk with her,” what she actually wanted was for me to stand and say nothing whilst she told me how it was going to be from now on. Now that she’d be living with us. Anyway, she was in her bathtub and it was cooling off, and she’d called for a bowl of hot water to reheat it again, and while it was being brought...” She trailed off and took a deep breath before going on, “she grabbed me by the arm and told me...well, I can’t remember exactly what it was now, something about knowing who was in charge in this house...and as I pulled away from her, I bumped into the maid bringing the hot water and...it spilled on me.” Automatically, she curled her fingers up, her scars showing more vividly as her skin paled with the movement. “And...that was it.”

 

“Was it?” Loki prompted, gently, sensing she wasn’t telling him the whole story. “Or was there more?”

 

Georgiana looked up at him, sadly. “I was beaten so hard that day. I screamed myself hoarse when it happened...and then when my Uncle hit me, I kept sobbing, begging him not to because I’d already had my punishment but...” She shook her head to keep herself from bursting into tears at that moment, “he never listened to me.” Gently, Loki covered her scarred hand with his other hand and she sighed, before glancing up at him. “It looks awful, doesn’t it?”

 

“It looks painful,” Loki answered, honestly. When she still looked disheartened, however, he dropped her hand and began to roll back his sleeve. “You’re not the only one in this room who was in an accident at a young age, Georgiana,” he insisted, showing her the two inch long slash mark that ran from the inside of his elbow down towards his wrist.

 

Georgiana’s eyes widened slightly. “How did that happen?”

 

Loki smiled. “It was my own fault, really. When Thor and I were younger, we used to practise our sword fighting with wooden swords, until one day we both got it into our heads to try with the real thing. But of course, when Thor tried picking one up, it was a lot heavier than he expected it to be. I kept teasing him about it as he tried to swing it, and of course, that only made him get more and more frustrated until he finally ran at me, trying to swing the thing. It got stuck in the wooden doorframe of the armoury, but I didn’t manage to duck in time and it caught me here.” He tapped the scar. “Of course, I yelled and Thor came running over, panicking that he’d seriously hurt me, and started bandaging me up, and I went to the Healing Room, but Father was furious with us for being so foolish. He had Thor banned from going out with his friends and me banned from this place for a week. After that, neither of us went near a real sword again until we were eighteen.”

 

Georgiana frowned. “He banned you from the library?”

 

“Well, he had to shake me into seeing sense somehow,” Loki replied, pulling his sleeve down again. “That was the worst week of my life, not being able to get any books. It was torture.”

 

“But...that was all he did?” Georgiana said, softly. “He didn’t...”

 

She trailed off and Loki understood her confusion.

 

“Our Father isn’t one for losing his temper all that much,” he replied, “and even when he does, the most he’ll ever do is shout. And even then, it’s usually because her cares about whoever he’s shouting at.”

 

“Oh,” Georgiana murmured.

 

Loki could see that he was depressing her.

 

“Georgiana,” he began.

 

“Could we just read?” Georgiana interrupted, a little more sharply than she had meant to. Then, she was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry, I-”

 

“It’s alright,” Loki replied.

 

“I just don’t like thinking about it,” Georgiana replied, moving her hands to her lap. “Or remembering.”

 

Loki nodded. “I know.” He got to his feet and offered her his hands to help her up. “Come on, let’s get back to our book.”

 

Hesitantly, Georgiana allowed him to pull her to her feet. “You’re not cross with me?”

 

“No,” Loki replied, dropping her hands, sensing she was uncomfortable. “I’m not.”

 

She managed a smile and when he pulled her in for a hug, she clung to him, wanting it to last forever, and couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed when he eventually let go of her.

 

They spent the remainder of the afternoon in the library, Loki being the main one to read aloud, but every so often he would press the book into her hands and convince her to try reading another story. She was still unconfident about doing so, but it was beginning to come more easily to her the more she tried it, and Loki seemed impressed by her progress. Eventually, however, he noted that they would be expected at dinner.

 

Georgiana got to her feet, suddenly nervous. “Are-are we going to be eating with everyone else?” she stammered.

 

Loki smiled at her. “Just my parents and Thor. He’ll be glad to finally meet you.”

 

Georgiana nodded, doubtfully, everything she had ever been taught about eating with others flooding into her mind. She had only ever been permitted to eat at the table with everyone else once a week back in Althrop, and more often than not her times there had ended in disaster one way or another.

 

_Sit straight._

_Small bites._

_Only speak when spoken to._

_Don’t eat until your host does._

_Don’t leave anything._

 

Then, she felt Loki touch her arm, and she looked up into his green eyes, feeling instantly calmer.

 

“You’ll be fine,” he said, softly, and she believed him.

 

Odin and Frigga were already seated in the dining hall when they entered the room, in deep conversation with one another. Both of them looked up and smiled as Loki and Georgiana slipped into their seats, Georgiana feeling a little grateful that Loki chose to sit beside her, she felt slightly more confident in his presence.

 

“Sorry we’re late,” Loki apologised.

 

Odin laughed, a rumbling sound like thunder. “Late? Your brother’s not here yet.”

 

“Where is he? Out with Sif and the Warriors Three again?” Loki asked with a knowing smile.

 

“More than likely,” Odin agreed, and just then the doors burst open, causing Georgiana to start slightly, and Thor himself strode into the room.

 

Georgiana’s first impression of him was that he was rather terrifying, largely due to his size, his shaggy, unkempt hair and beard, and the fact that in one hand he was holding an enormous hammer. But then he spoke, and even though his voice was deep, it was friendly, and she ceased to be afraid.

 

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, grinning.

 

“You’d be late to your own funeral,” Loki replied, taking a sip from his goblet, and then letting out an exclamation as his brother playfully jostled him on the way past, causing him to spill a bit. “Thor!”

 

“Pack it in, you two,” Odin said, fondly as the servants bustled in, carrying trays of food. “Thor, you’ve not yet met Georgiana.”

 

“I’m honoured,” Thor replied, nodding to her as he seated himself opposite his brother. Loki shot him a mock scowl as he mopped at the mead spilled on his tunic. “How are you finding Asgard so far?”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Well, I’ve only seen the palace so far, but it’s certainly a lovely place and everyone seems very friendly.”

 

She glanced at Loki, and he smiled at her.

 

“Oh, yes, my brother can be very friendly when he wants to be,” Thor grinned, and Loki swiftly kicked him under the table, causing his face to twitch slightly with the pain of it.

 

Nervously, Georgiana giggled.

 

“Thor, enough,” Frigga said, in a motherly way, turning to Georgiana. “I must apologise for my sons, Georgiana, they get like this sometimes.”

 

“Thor gets like this during a full moon,” Loki quipped, provoking another giggle from Georgiana.

 

Thor shook his head. “Low blow, Brother.”

 

Georgiana could tell that they didn’t mean it, though; she remembered Loki saying that Thor was his best friend. She quietly thanked the servant who placed her food in front of her and glanced down at her platter, taking it all in. She couldn’t remember ever being given so much food in her entire life.

 

Loki must have sensed her surprise, for he muttered under his breath to her “If you can’t manage it all, leave it. No one will be offended if you do.”

 

“Thank you,” she whispered back.

 

Frigga looked over at her and smiled. “If there’s anything you don’t like, Georgiana, don’t be afraid to leave it.”

 

Georgiana managed to return her smile. “Actually, I like most things I eat. Except for beans.”

 

Loki made a mental note to leave them out if he ever wanted food brought for them in the library, or in their room, when it eventually _would_ be their room.

 

In the end, though, Georgiana found she had room for everything on her plate, because it all tasted so wonderful. She was surprised too when dessert was brought, and Loki quickly and quietly explained to her slightly questioning look that this always came after the main meal in the evening.

 

“I think you’ll like it,” he added in an undertone, and she found that she did like it very much indeed.

 

Throughout the meal, the conversation was light and natural, and she soon began to feel at ease with the family. They were all so friendly, and even though at first it made her feel shy, she soon felt herself relax in their presence. Thor, she realised, was not a force to be feared, he was as gentle as Loki, and she felt that he probably got his warrior-like demeanour from Odin. She could see why he was such a good ruler, Odin, he came across as being firm but fair, and good. And Frigga was always extremely pleasant to her, often shooting her comforting looks and smiles from across the table, making her feel at ease. She informed the younger woman that she had had her personal dressmakers working all day to make some new dresses and nightgowns for her, at which Georgiana had, out of politeness as she had been taught to do, protested that she didn’t have to go to all that trouble, but as she had expected, she was waved off. Under the table, Loki reached for her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze before turning back to resume his conversation with Thor, and Georgiana just smiled at Frigga and thanked her for her kindness, knowing she could do nothing else. And it would be nice to have some new clothes.

 

Eventually, however, the sky began to darken and Georgiana felt like her eyes were beginning to close. Thankfully, the party soon broke up and she allowed Loki to lead her back to her room.

 

“I’ll probably keep doing this until you can find your own way around,” he quipped.

 

Georgiana smiled, tiredly. “That’s very kind of you.”

 

He touched her arm, gently, as they reached her door. “You know, if there’s ever anything you need, anything at all, just let me know.”

 

She couldn’t help it; it was all getting too much for her now. She felt the tears come before she could stop them. A huge part of her wanted to turn and run and break down somewhere he wasn’t, but she got the feeling that wouldn’t be an option. So, she tried to say something like “Thank you,” or “I will,” or just something to acknowledge that she understood and accepted his offer, but the tears got in the way and the words caught in her throat as she looked away from him, willing him to go and leave her to cry.

 

Loki, however, wasn’t the type of man to do that.

 

“Georgiana, what’s wrong?” he asked, gently turning her to look at him.

 

Georgiana shook her head and then buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know,” she whispered, her shoulders shaking with each sob. Loki quickly steered her into her room and wrapped her in a hug. “I’m sorry,” Georgiana went on, “I can’t seem to stop...and I don’t know why...”

 

“I think I do,” Loki murmured. “It’s all getting on top of you a little bit now, isn’t it? So many things you’re not used to.”

 

She nodded. “And I think...it’s just...you’re so nice to me...all of you...and I just...I just don’t know why...why no one else ever was...before...what’s wrong with me?”

 

“Nothing,” Loki replied, tightening his hold on her a little. “Listen to me, Georgiana, there is nothing wrong with you. You’ve been living with bad people up until now, people who couldn’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” He rubbed her back, gently. “It isn’t your fault, any of it.”

 

“You mean that?” Georgiana asked.

 

Loki smiled. “Yes, I do.” From nowhere, he conjured up a handkerchief and handed it to her. Gratefully, she took it and wiped her eyes, which then widened upon seeing the array of dresses laid out on her bed, in an array of different colours. As she moved to examine them, Loki felt a stirring of something in his heart, a feeling of extreme sympathy for her, for all she had been through.

 

“They’re so beautiful...”Georgiana whispered, running her fingers down a beautiful pale blue gown trimmed with a thin layer of velvet, before turning to Loki. “Thank you...for what you said just now.”

 

“Think you’ll be alright?” Loki asked, softly. She nodded and so did he. “Well, if you’re not, I’m just across the corridor from you. Don’t be afraid to find me.”

 

Georgiana looked up at him and managed a small smile. “I think I’ll be alright, but...thank you, anyway. You’re very kind.”

 

Loki pulled her close and murmured a “Goodnight,” in her ear before pulling away from her with a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning, alright?”

 

She nodded. “Goodnight, Loki,” she managed to say as he left, before turning to look back over her beautiful new gowns. There were, as promised, nightgowns too, and she picked up the nearest one, which was a lovely cream colour with a skirt that fell right down to her ankles and short sleeves trimmed with soft lace. She changed into it before moving all her dresses off her bed, putting them all in the wardrobe, and crawling into bed, feeling a lot better about everything now.

 

Loki could do that to her, she thought, before sleep finally took her.


	5. "I'm Never Going Back..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

When Georgiana woke the next morning, it was a little later than she had woken the day before, and what actually woke her was the same soft knocking that had occurred outside her door that day too.

 

Pushing herself up, she rubbed her eyes and blinked sleepily in the direction of the door, before remembering that the sound meant there was someone on the other side of it who wanted to come in, and clambering clumsily to her feet.

 

“Just a second,” she called, quickly straightening the rumpled bedding before straightening her hair as best as she could and pulling the door open.

 

Loki smiled at her. “I woke you up, didn’t I?”

 

“No,” she insisted.

 

“Then, why do you look so bedraggled?” Georgiana blushed and looked at her feet. “Sorry,” Loki added.

 

“It’s alright,” Georgiana stammered, stepping back from the door. “Please come in.”

 

It was then she noticed that he was holding something, a wrapped parcel, in his hands. Before she could ask, he held it out to her.

 

“Here, something my Mother forgot to give you,” he said.

 

She was surprised to say the least as she hesitantly took it from him. “What is it?”

 

He grinned at her. “If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprised, would it?”

 

“No, I suppose not,” Georgiana agreed, smiling a little as she unwrapped the paper gently. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the elegant cloak trimmed with lace, deep purple in colour, and lined with soft velvet. “Oh...” she breathed, holding it up and imagining the feel of the lining against her skin in the winter. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”

 

“I’m glad you like it,” Loki replied, softly.

 

She looked up at him and managed a smile. “Thank you, although I think you might be in serious danger of making me cry again.”

 

Loki stepped up to her and hugged her, and Georgiana closed her eyes as she leaned into him and returned it. She hadn’t been lying when she had told him that she liked this. The feeling of his arms around her, enveloping her in warmth, made her feel safe and protected, the way no one else she had ever met had done to her before.

 

If she died, she decided, in this second, it would be perfect, because she would have died knowing a little bit of warmth from someone in her seventeen years.

 

“I see your new nightgown fits you,” Loki murmured, breaking the silence.

 

She smiled. “Yes, and unlike my old one, it covers my knees.”

 

Loki laughed, softly, his grip tightening on her ever so slightly, and she felt a slight feeling of triumph, that she had been the one to make him laugh like that. Wasn’t that what she was meant to do anyway, what she had been bred for all her life, to please the man she would one day marry?

 

She hoped that she could do that.

 

A knock at the door caused them both to part, and Loki smiled at her. “Hungry?”

 

Georgiana blushed and nodded, remembering them sharing breakfast together the day before. It had been nice, she decided, and even though she wasn’t entirely used to being around him so much, she felt that she was beginning to like Loki.

 

Even if the way he looked at her sometimes did cause her to blush.

 

Their meal was much the same as it had been the morning before, and once again Loki gladly sat on the floor with her to eat it.

 

“What do you want to do today?” he asked when they had finished.

 

Georgiana looked up at him in surprise. _“I_ can choose?”

 

He smiled, benevolently, at her. “Yes.”

 

She considered the question. What did she want to do today? Well, she had enjoyed learning to read yesterday, maybe they could do some more of that. Then again, she was beginning to feel like she had been indoors all too much lately. Going outside had been a rare opportunity that she had cherished back in Althrop, but was that the way it was done here? Did people go outside their own homes at will or just for travel purposes?

 

“I-I-I think I’d like to go outside,” she stammered, hesitantly, wondering if it was alright for her to ask, and then remembering what Loki had said to her the day before.

 

“If there’s ever anything you need, anything at all, just let me know.”

 

Well, it wasn’t so much something she needed as wanted, but she felt the same laws must still apply.

 

Loki smiled at her. “Alright. I’ll show you the grounds.”

 

Perhaps, one day, he thought, he could show her beyond those, take her out riding like he often went with Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three, to one of the many places they liked to go together to get away from the palace for a while. But for now, whilst she was still getting used to so many new things around her, just the confines of the grounds would do. It must have been stifling for her, he thought, living her lonely, sheltered existence in that house in Althrop, knowing nothing but everything she had had drilled into her by her captors. Captors; where had that come from? He couldn’t help thinking of them in that way, though; they had tormented her, and hurt her, for no reason whatsoever except their own madness.

 

It angered him to think of it.

 

Pushing that thought aside, he got up and helped her to her feet, noting that she was still hesitant when letting him touch her, even though she didn’t seem to mind the hugs so much. Perhaps, he thought, that was because you couldn’t hurt someone through a hug, well, not without a concealed weapon at any rate, but with the soft touches, things she had probably experienced before, followed up by a vigorous clout or slap and vicious word or six, she didn’t know what to expect.

 

It was a case of being patient, he reminded himself. In time, she would learn to trust him. He wasn’t expecting her to fall in love with him, but he did hope that she could come to be happy in this new life, and that he could make her happy.

 

He would certainly do his best to.

 

Georgiana managed a grateful smile as she dropped her hands from his and made her way into the bathroom. It was odd, Loki thought, automatically following her, how she could become shy over his touching or assisting her, and yet here she was stripping away her nightdress in front of him without a fear in the world.

 

And she was beautiful, he thought, standing before him. The painful bruises were beginning to fade an ugly purple against the pure white of her skin, like fallen flowers on snow, but beyond them was a beauty like none he had ever seen before. What curves she had all fell in exactly the right places, her limbs long and willowy, her breasts two perfect mounds above a completely flat stomach, painfully flat, he reminded himself, she needed feeding up, that tuft of fine hair between her legs-

 

Was he even meant to be thinking of her like this yet? Was he violating her trust in doing so? He scolded himself for it, and was glad when she slipped into the bath, half hidden by the bubbles.

 

Georgiana looked up at him, questioningly. “Are you alright?”

 

Loki smiled and sat down beside her. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to stop staring at you.”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana blushed. “It’s alright.”

 

“I’m sorry if I’m making you feel awkward,” Loki added.

 

“You’re not,” Georgiana replied, realising that he wasn’t. It was nice. She reminded herself of what he had said the day before, that he thought she was beautiful, and the thought of someone staring at her because of that was just...nice.

 

So, she smiled, and when Loki picked up the sponge and glanced questioningly at her, she nodded and let him wash her again. Once they were done, they made their way back into her room and, after a few moments consideration, selected a pale indigo gown with a high neck and long sleeves made of see-through material that fell back to her elbows whenever she raised her arms.

 

Loki frowned as she pulled on her battered old slippers, which were almost worn through completely. One more day and he suspected that they would fall apart altogether.

 

“How long have you had those slippers?” he asked.

 

Georgiana furrowed her brow, trying to remember. “About seven years, I think.”

 

“Are they your only pair?” Loki asked. She nodded and he shook his head. “We’re getting you some new ones.”

 

“Oh, no, these’ll be alright for another-” Georgiana began, but he cut across her.

 

“You need more than just one pair of shoes, anyway, Georgiana; those are far too thin to hold up in winter.”

 

She sat up a little straighter on the bed. “How many pairs of shoes do women usually have here?”

 

Loki smiled at her. “Well, it all depends on how many pairs they feel they need.” He thought for a moment. “You’ll at least need seven.”

 

“Seven?” Georgiana repeated, because for someone who had only ever had one pair of shoes in her whole life, it seemed like a lot.

 

“One pair for each of the seasons, at least,” Loki replied, “that can hold up in each of those respective weather conditions, one pair of indoor shoes, one pair of outdoor boots and at least one pair of evening shoes.” He looked at her surprised expression and smiled. “So I hear from my Mother, anyway.”

 

Georgiana managed to return his smile, nervously. “Well, that’s kind but I don’t want you to have to go to any trouble, just for me-”

 

“Georgiana,” Loki interrupted, gently, reaching out to lift her from the bed, “we’re getting you new shoes. That’s final.” His expression and tone told her that he wasn’t ordering her around, not in a menacing manner at any rate, and she felt her smile broaden slightly.

 

“Well, thank you,” she managed to say.

 

Loki dropped her hands and led her to the door. They made their way through the various winding corridors, which were beginning to become vaguely familiar to Georgiana, until they reached a large wooden door which Loki pushed open to reveal the palace gardens.

 

Georgiana drew in her breath, blown aback by the splendour of them. Wide open grassy spaces stretched before her, left and right, until they hit the surrounding walls of the palace, which from where she was standing looked very small indeed. Stone fountains and statues were littered all around the neatly trimmed hedges, each dotted with colourful flowers, and more blossoms sprung up here and there in various patches. A few thin, small trees lined a sort of walkway leading to what could only be described as the centre of the garden, to the biggest fountain of the lot, whilst other taller trees nearby formed a sort of bower overhead. They were all thick with glossy leaves and ripe fruit.

 

“They’re so beautiful,” she whispered, looking all around her, taking it all in.

 

Loki smiled and watched her take her first tentative steps forwards into the gardens. She seemed like a child taking her first steps outside, and he supposed, in a lot of ways she still was. Seventeen years old, three years his junior, and there was still so much of the world she didn’t know yet, so many things she hadn’t been taught.

 

And yet, he reminded himself, she was clever, in her own ways.

 

She turned to him, suddenly, her eyes wide, with something like looked like nerves.

 

“There’s nothing dangerous out here...is there?” she asked.

 

Puzzled, Loki went up to her. “What do you mean?”

 

“Like...snakes or anything?” Georgiana asked.

 

“Oh.” Loki shook his head. “No, nothing like that. The grounds are protected by magic. We’re perfectly safe here.”

 

“Magic?” Georgiana looked up at him, her expression a mixture of awe and curiousity. “There’s magic here?”

 

Loki blinked at her. “You didn’t know?”

 

“No, well, I knew that Asgard had magic, but I didn’t think that there was any here. I mean, I didn’t know...no one told me...” She broke off and looked away in embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m babbling, aren’t I?”

 

Loki smiled, and then, to her amazement, he conjured up a small rose vine right by her feet. She watched, her eyes widening in fascination as the vine grew upwards, curling itself and blooming with the blood red flowers as it twisted its way around the nearest tree trunk, stopping just level with her face.

 

“That’s amazing,” she whispered, looking up at him. “Can you all do that here?”

 

“Most of us can,” Loki replied. “Thor doesn’t really have the patience with it, though.”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “It sounds to me like Thor doesn’t have the patience for a lot of things.”

 

Loki laughed, softly. “Just with fighting, I’m afraid, and riding, and drinking. And eating.” This last caused her to laugh too. “But please don’t tell him I said that.”

 

“I won’t.” With a smile, Georgiana looked around the gardens again, her eyes finally falling back on the rose vine he had just created. “It’s amazing.”

 

It was, Loki supposed, to someone who had grown up in a world without it. He smiled and fell into step alongside her as she moved cautiously through the swaying grass at their feet. Everything seemed so fresh and bright here, even the air felt cleaner to how it had felt in Althrop, whenever she had been able to get out in it. Loki’s instincts told him that such interactions for her were few and far between.

 

“Did your Uncle ever actually let you out of your room?” he asked, when she flinched as a bee suddenly shot past them and began buzzing around a nearby lily.

 

Georgiana sighed. “Yes, but not very often. Usually only if it was a special day when I was allowed to eat with him and Bess at the table, rather than on the floor.” Her expression fell, somewhat. “That didn’t happen very often. Or sometimes if he thought I should go out for five minutes, for a breath of air, but I got more of that from my bedroom window than from actually being outside.”

 

Loki reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her eyes met his and brightened when she saw the sympathetic look he was giving her.

 

“You were a virtual prisoner,” he murmured, and she ducked her head. He brought them both to a stop and took her other hand. “But that’s never going to happen to you ever again.”

 

Georgiana looked up at him, her expression hopeful. She was feeling all sorts of things in that moment, a mixture of emotions from him being so nice to her, and it kept filling her insides with a fluttering feeling, like butterflies taking off all at once inside her. But she couldn’t think how to express herself in words, so she squeezed his hands back and hoped that he could somehow know through that small gesture that she was grateful.

 

He did.

 

They spent most of the day just walking through the grounds together, Georgiana interested in everything around them and Loki happy to explain anything unfamiliar to her. He had some food brought for them, which surprised Georgiana, since she had never been able to eat outside before and therefore had never even considered such a possibility before. They sat on the edge of the large fountain in the middle of the gardens to eat, and as usual the food tasted so glorious to her that she couldn’t not eat it all. Loki began to wonder if he ought to be pressing her to eat extra food with her meals just to help her health along. He decided to bring that up with his Mother later.

 

When a few great black clouds began to roll around them, however, they quickly hurried back into the palace to avoid the rain and spent the rest of the afternoon in the library, Georgiana still stumbling as she read but feeling a little more confident about doing so in front of Loki.

 

“Tomorrow we need to sort out your shoes,” Loki told her when he saw her to bed that night. “Before the ones you’re wearing fall apart.”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “Thank you.” Then, glancing down at her battered slippers, added “I suppose you’re right. They are wearing thin.”

 

Loki badly wanted to kiss her goodnight, but he restrained himself from doing so, settling on giving her a hug instead. “Sleep well, Georgiana,” he murmured in her ear.

 

“I think I will,” Georgiana stammered back, feeling her face heat up, and then added, quickly and awkwardly, “You sleep well too.”

 

Loki laughed and gave her hand a brief squeeze. “I will.”

 

His touch stayed with her, she noticed, her body always feeling warm when his hands left her, and it made her tingle slightly inside. She lay awake for a while that night, instead of going to sleep straight away, replaying the entire day in her head over and over before sleep finally took her.

 

Loki, for his part, was still awake, sitting up in bed with a book, when he heard a knock on his door. Surprised that anyone else was still up this late, he called for whoever it was to come in and looked up next to see his brother grinning at him.

 

“Bit late for you to still be up, isn’t it?” he quipped.

 

Thor shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. How are you getting on with Georgiana?”

 

“Don’t say it like that,” Loki replied, closing his book as Thor sat on the edge of his bed. “You make it sound like she’s a weapon or a new horse or something.”

 

“Sorry,” Thor apologised. “Do you think she’s settling in?”

 

“Slowly,” Loki said, “but it’s going to take some time.” He sighed and then fixed his brother with an empathetic look. “She told me some more about what she’s been through. Did you see the scars on her hand at dinner?”

 

“Yes, I did notice those,” Thor said.

 

“She got those when she accidently knocked a bowl of boiling water over,” Loki began.

 

“Ouch,” Thor interrupted with a shudder.

 

“And her Uncle had the audacity to beat her just because she’d spilled the water, even though she was in pain,” Loki finished, his voice slightly horrified. Thor shook his head in wonder. “She’s been abused all her life just for small things like that,” Loki went on. “She was surprised when she accidently spilled some mead yesterday and all I did was clean it up. She actually _expected_ me to hurt her for it.”

 

“And then there’s the fact she’s been starved,” Thor pointed out.

 

“I know.” Loki’s hands curled into fists, wrinkling the blankets over his knees. “I just can’t believe someone would do that to her; and for what? No valid reason as far as I can see.” To his surprise, Thor looked slightly amuse when he said that. “What exactly about that is funny?” Loki asked, irritated.

 

“You’re about to tear your sheets up for someone you’ve only known a few days,” Thor replied. Loki realised he was right, sighed, calmed down and released the blankets. His brother looked at him, knowingly. “You’re becoming fond of her, aren’t you?”

 

Loki brought his knees up to his chest and folded his arms, adopting his most vulnerable pose. “It’s hard not to,” he confided, softly. “Just seeing her so scared...all I want to do is comfort her.”

 

“Have you kissed her?”

 

Of course I haven’t. That would only scare her.”

 

Thor raised his eyebrows, knowingly. “But you want to?”

 

“Thor?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Loki picked up his spare pillow. “Get out of my room,” he said with a tired smile, throwing it at his brother.

 

Thor just laughed and got to his feet. “You might be God of Lies, but even I could see through you then, Loki!”

 

He left the room and Loki lay back in his bed, wondering when it would be that he could actually kiss his Georgiana, and dreaming about how wonderful that day would be.


	6. "Come On, Let Your Colours Burst..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

 

Georgiana awoke the next morning feeling strange. There was a sort of tingling feeling within her...down there. She had never felt like this before, what was it? She sat up, frowning, and then it seemed to pass. She frowned.

 

“That was odd,” she murmured to herself.

 

Perhaps it was something she ought to ask Loki about.

 

She smiled, suddenly, remembering she had been dreaming about him, just briefly, before she had woken up. Nothing fanciful, he had just been talking to her, though the words evaded her memory now, and it had made her feel warm inside.

 

Feeling strangely bright for once, she swung herself out of bed and sprinted to the wardrobe, the thought of being with Loki again cheering her along with the knowledge that she was having new shoes today. She glanced idly at her old once. Loki was right, they were worn right down, and there was no way they could last another winter.

 

What did one wear to purchase new shoes, she wondered.

 

There was a knock on the door, and now she knew that it would be Loki, so she smiled and called “Come in,” instead of “Hold on,” or “Just coming.” When Loki did come in, she turned to him and felt a sudden desire to rush over to him, but she restrained herself.

 

“Good morning,” she smiled, shyly, instead.

 

“Good morning,” Loki replied, looking her up and down. “I gather I didn’t wake you this morning?”

 

His expression was teasing and she managed a giggle. “No, I was just trying to decide what to wear.” Then, she shrugged her shoulders. “You pick.”

 

Loki was surprised, but he made a thoughtful expression as he looked at the multitude of colours within her wardrobe and then selected a long green velvet dress with long sleeves trimmed with black lacing at the front and black lace on the sleeves and a hood.

 

“This one,” he murmured.

 

Georgiana smiled and took it from him. “Thank you.”

 

She wondered if he had chosen it because it was green and black, like his clothes, and perhaps he wanted them to match. She had come to notice that he and Thor generally wore clothes of the same colours, that is, Loki’s were always green, black and gold, whilst Thor’s were always red and silver. Was that meant to mean something, she wondered, or did they just prefer those combinations?

 

At any rate, she was beginning to think that green suited her.

 

Loki was beginning to get used to her mornings, to sitting on the floor with her to eat, to bathing her, to watching her dress, as if he had been born to it. He was also beginning to get used to her becoming shy and nervous around him, and to her shying away from too much touching. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it, he had learned, it was just that she wasn’t used to such gentleness after craving it for so long and never having it.

 

He smiled as she turned to him, finally dressed and ready to go. Her old battered slippers didn’t look quite right with the dress, but today would soon fix that.

 

“You look beautiful,” he told her, and she blushed, shyly, and thanked him before allowing him to lead her from the room. He sighed, inwardly, wishing she could believe him when he told her that. It wasn’t just a line, one of those tired old clichés that women always wanted to hear, it was the truth. He had thought her beautiful the second he had seen her for the first time; scared, yes, thin and very pale, certainly, but beautiful nevertheless. He had wanted to do more than just give her his cloak that day, he had wanted to hold her tightly and whisper to her that it was all going to be alright, that she was safe now and no one would ever hurt her again.

 

He wanted to do that now.

 

But there were equally pressing matters at hand now.

 

Georgiana was surprised as they came to the top steps of the palace to find three horses waiting for them, all equipped with saddlebags, and two servants nearby patiently waiting for them. She stopped, suddenly nervous, even with Loki nearby.

 

“Um, how far away are we going?” she stammered.

 

“It’s quite a way into the town,” Loki replied, “especially with a lot of boxes.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Loki noticed her discomfort at once and stopped walking. “You’ve never ridden before, have you?”

 

Georgiana glanced at him. “My Father died in a riding accident.”

 

Loki wanted to kick himself for not having remembered that. “Oh, Norns, Georgiana, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think.”

 

She shrugged and tried to pull herself together. “It’s alright.”

 

Loki laid his hands on her arms, causing her to look up at him. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Georgiana. I promise.”

 

She wanted to believe him, but the horses looked so big and intimidating.

 

“What if I fall?” she whispered.

 

“I’ll catch you,” Loki replied.

 

Seeing no trace of deception in his eyes, she nodded. He squeezed her arms, gently, a reassuring feeling and she took a deep breath, bravely.

 

 _Trust me,_ Loki thought.

 

He led her down the steps and towards the horse at the front of the group, acknowledging the servants nearby as they passed. Their horses were brown in colour whilst the one Loki led her to was midnight black with white speckles around his lower legs and hooves and one white patch over his right eye. His mane was speckled with flecks of gold.

 

“His name’s Gyllir,” Loki told her. “He’s very friendly.”

 

Georgiana reached up a hand and Gyllir turned and snorted at her, causing her to flinch and look worriedly at Loki.

 

“It’s alright,” he told her, gently. “Horses just startle easily, that’s all.”

 

 _So do I,_ Georgiana thought, slowly reaching up her hand again, and this time Gyllir nudged his muzzle up against her fingers. Suddenly it wasn’t so scary anymore and Loki smiled, encouragingly, at her.

 

“He likes you,” he said.

 

Georgiana managed a smile as she continued to pet Gyllir, and when she eventually lowered her hand, the horse looked somewhat disappointed.

 

“How do I get up?” she asked, nervously.

 

Loki showed her and as he helped her up into the saddle, Georgiana realised suddenly that they were going to be sitting very close together. She felt herself blushing as Loki pulled himself up behind her and she clung on with grim determination as he urged Gyllir forwards.

 

It was a little scary, at first, being so high off the ground and moving so unsteadily, but little by little, she became used to it, and soon she came to realise that such a pace wouldn’t be enough to kill a person if they did happen to fall off. Not that she thought Loki would allow that to happen. He was so close to her it both embarrassed and excited her, although she wasn’t entirely sure why.

 

Soon the town began to unfold in front of them, opening up like a map, and she drew in her breath, awed by the hustle and bustle around them. She expected the people to ignore them as they trotted into their midst, but when they were spotted, the people bowed and curtsied. They seemed friendly enough, so when one passing man carrying a trayful of bread picked himself up from his bow and waved at her, she managed to smile back at him.

 

Eventually, Loki tugged on the reins and Gyllir halted outside a large colourful building that wasn’t named but had a picture of a pair of boots on the sign about its doorway. As they reached it, a woman in a dress of dark silver came out, her hair a rich brown, short and curled, and her face kindly. She reminded Georgiana of Frigga a little.

 

She bowed as Loki dismounted and smiled up at him.

 

“Your Highness,” she smiled, bowing her head and then looking up at Georgiana. “Welcome.”

 

“Good morning, Kitta,” Loki replied, benevolently, reaching up to help Georgiana down from Gyllir. “My betrothed needs new shoes-”

 

“Yes, I can see that.” Kitta tutted as she looked down at Georgiana’s battered slippers. Suddenly ashamed at them, Georgiana looked at the ground, avoiding the woman’s eyes. Kitta folded her arms. “Size five, am I right?”

 

Georgiana blushed and looked up at her. “I don’t know, I’m sorry.”

 

Kitta glanced questioningly at Loki and raised her eyebrows. Loki just fixed her with a firm look that spoke volumes and the woman clapped her hands together. “Very well, then, I can see we have a lot to do today, follow me if you please, Lady..?”

 

“Georgiana,” Georgiana ventured, tentatively following Kitta into the vast shop. She only just managed to keep herself from gasping aloud as she looked around her at the thousands of pairs of shoes lining the wall shelves, all different colours, designs and sizes. Seven pairs had seemed like a lot to her before; now she felt slightly overwhelmed.

 

“Please, take a seat, my Lady,” Kitta smiled, bustling over to the counter and reaching for a tape measure.

 

Georgiana did as she was told and Loki bit back a laugh at how wide her eyes had suddenly become at the sight of all the shoes around her. Kitta came back and asked her very politely to remove her slippers so that she might measure her feet. Nervously, Georgiana did so, and Loki, sensing that she wasn’t altogether comfortable with someone else touching her, reached down and took her hand, gently, offering her a reassuring look. Kitta muttered something that sounded like “Yes, size 5, I was right,” before allowing Loki to explain what manner of shoes she was in need of.

 

“Yes, yes, yes, any woman needs all of those at least,” she said, getting to her feet and shaking her head at Georgiana with a exasperated chuckle of “Men!” before bustling into the back room of the shop.

 

Loki looked down at Georgiana and offered her a smile. “You look...overwhelmed.”

 

She blushed and confessed “I am.” Then, glancing around her, she added “They’re so beautiful.”

 

Loki leaned down and touched her cheek, causing her to look up at him in surprise, since he had never touched her this intimately before. His fingers brushed her skin like velvet and it was nice, she realised, a nice feeling. Suddenly she felt slightly like she had done that morning, only this time it was coming on when he touched her.

 

“Georgiana,” he murmured, “when we marry, you’ll be a Princess. You deserve this. You deserve to own beautiful things.”

 

She wanted to cry when he said that, but restrained herself as Kitta had come back with some outdoor boots and indoor slippers for her to try. Each pair she found to be comfortable, she would try walking in and then look to Loki for his opinion. She trusted his judgement, for some reason, and somehow each pair he approved turned out to be the pair she badly wanted. Kitta came back and forth from the back room with more styles of shoes that were required until eventually all that was required was a pair of evening shoes.

 

This time Georgiana did gasp when Kitta brought forth the most beautiful pair of shoes she had ever seen in her life; low heeled, fastening with ribbons and covered in tiny green jewels that glittered in the light.

 

“I-I-I couldn’t possibly-” she stammered, but Kitta cut across her.

 

“Nonsense, my Lady, every woman needs one pair of beautiful shoes for dancing in,” she replied.

 

“Dancing?” Georgiana eyed the shoes, doubtfully. “I’ve never danced in heeled shoes before.”

 

“Well, I’m sure your betrothed won’t mind helping you along,” Kitta smiled, offering the shoes.

 

Slowly, Georgiana took them and slipped her feet into them. They felt wonderful, and even though she felt nervous about standing up in them, she did so and found that, actually, she wasn’t as far off the ground as she thought she was.

 

“What do you think?” she asked Loki, hesitantly.

 

Loki smiled at her. “I think we’ll take them.”

 

“Excellent!” Kitta clapped her hands. “I’ll find some boxes!”

 

She left them a moment to do so, and Georgiana glanced down at her feet. She still couldn’t believe it, that she wouldn’t have to wear worn, falling-apart-at-the-seams slippers anymore, that she had brand new shoes, and such beautiful ones too.

 

Then, she felt Loki slip his hand into hers, and she looked up at him, realising she didn’t feel nervous now.

 

“They suit you,” he said, softly, and she smiled up at him.

 

Kitta came back and parcelled up their purchases, and Loki had their two accompanying servants place them in their saddlebags.

 

“Oh, no, you can’t put on these dreadful things again, my Lady,” Kitta added, picking up the old slippers. “No, we must burn them or something. I’ll sort it, your Highness,” she added to Loki.

 

Georgiana quickly pulled on her new outdoor boots. Suddenly, she felt something inside her, the feeling that she was finally letting go of her old life, that this was the start of a new one, one that she could rewrite and reshape for herself.

 

She looked up to see Loki offering her his hand, and she took it and pulled herself up.

 

“Thank you,” she managed to say. “For-for all this.”

 

Loki just smiled. “As I said, you deserve it.”

 

Before Georgiana even knew what she was doing, she had stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his tunic. She had truly never believed that she was worthy of such beautiful gifts until he told her that, and she was feeling so many things that she couldn’t express them all at once, not in words, anyway, so she tried to pour everything she felt into the hug instead. Loki wrapped his arms about her and held her close. Georgiana closed her eyes and lost herself for a moment in the feel of him, breathing in his wonderful scent that she was getting so used to. Slowly, Loki brought up a hand and stroked her hair, gently. It was soothing and she pressed closer to him, enjoying the feel of him, the warmth that his touch brought her.

 

“Your Highness?”

 

Loki turned his head to see that their servants had everything ready and were standing patiently to attention. He nodded in their direction before giving Georgiana a small squeeze and murmuring to her “Come on, let’s get on home.”

 

Georgiana pulled away from him, her expression unreadable. “Home?” Loki looked at her in surprise and was about to reply when suddenly her face softened into a smile. “Yes, let’s.”

 

Smiling, Loki took her hand, and she felt that he was truly leading her out of one life and into another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Georgiana's dress: https://img1.etsystatic.com/065/1/8061252/il_340x270.782081177_9zzy.jpg
> 
>  
> 
> Her evening shoes are a combination of these =
> 
>  
> 
> Heels: http://picture-cdn.wheretoget.it/9yxij5-l-610x610-shoes-blue+shoes-thick+heel-lace+shoes-low+heels.jpg
> 
> Ribbons:http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=49189165
> 
> Colour: http://static.heels.com/images/shoes/outside_view/large/ZBOR030_OUT_LG.jpg
> 
> Jewels: http://g03.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1X7IwHVXXXXXfXXXXq6xXFXXX4/BS102-free-shipping-super-quality-full-colourful-jewelled-diamond-bridal-wedding-shoes-crystals-shoes-party-shoes.jpg


	7. "Baby, I was Afraid Before, But I'm Not Afraid Anymore"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

 

Something was wrong.

 

Georgiana sensed it the second she opened her eyes. Her stomach was hurting, her breasts were sore and something just felt wrong...down there.

 

She threw the sheets off her and then sat up with a start, a gasp escaping her.

 

Blood. There was blood, everywhere.

 

From where?

 

She scrambled out of bed, landing on the floor and seeing the trail of blood, spots of it, left behind her. Something had gone wrong inside her, she realised, it must have done, internal bleeding or something, and now she was dying, she was going to bleed to death. Fear caught in her throat and she began to cry, certain that was it, it explained the pain, it explained the blood...

 

She was dying.

 

A knock on the door gave her hope. Loki. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe if she could still get to the Healing Room in time...he wouldn’t let her die, surely?

 

“Loki!” she managed to call.

 

Her cry alarmed him and he quickly hurried into the room, startled to see her crouched over on the floor, in tears.

 

“Georgiana.” He was at her side in an instant. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

 

“Help me,” Georgiana sobbed. “I don’t know what’s happened.”

 

Frowning, and wondering what the Hel had got her in such a state, Loki glanced about and then spotted the bloodstains on the sheet. It didn’t take more than a few seconds to realise what was going on.

 

He breathed out. “It’s alright,” he whispered, tucking her head onto his shoulder and stroking her hair, gently.

 

“It hurts,” Georgiana whispered. “What’s happening to me?”

 

“Georgiana, it’s alright, it’s normal.” Loki looked her in the eyes. “No one told you about this?”

 

She shook her head. “I’m not dying?”

 

Loki smiled, gently. “No, but we need to get you cleaned up.” He managed to help her to her feet and lead her into the bathroom. She was shaking, he noted, holding onto herself where it hurt. He quickly used magic to fill the bath for her and then helped her out of her bloodstained nightdress. “I’ll be right back,” he murmured, slipping from the room. Outside in the corridor he managed to collar a passing servant.

 

“Would you please tell my Mother to come here as soon as possible?” he asked, before ordering another one to strip the sheets from the bed, bring fresh ones and wash the old ones with Georgiana’s nightdress, and then making his way back to the bathroom. Frigga could explain this better than he could, after all, since this wasn’t something men went through.

 

Georgiana looked up at him, nervously. “How can I stop it?”

 

“It stops by itself,” Loki replied, sitting down on the edge of the tub. From this angle, he could see more of her body beneath the bubbles, but he concentrated on her face. Her eyes were wide with fear, her skin pale. “As far as I know, anyway. It’s something all women get at certain times of the month.”

 

“All women?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I-it’s normal?”

 

“Yes.” He reached out and gently brushed her hair back from her face, tenderly, causing her expression be somewhat less scared. “It’s not fatal, or deadly, just painful and annoying.” He offered her a smile. “We men don’t go through it, I’m afraid, so it’s only the women who suffer.”

 

Georgiana made a thoughtful expression. “Like childbirth?”

 

“Yes,” Loki replied, “only having this is your body’s way of telling you that you’re not with child.”

 

“But I know I’m not,” Georgiana replied, frowning. “I haven’t...” She cut herself off and blushed, looking away from him.

 

“I know you haven’t,” Loki replied. “But your body doesn’t.”

 

“Oh.” Slowly, she looked up at him. “When does it stop?”

 

“In a few days,” Loki replied, softly, and it was at that moment that Frigga walked in. Loki looked up at her and mouthed “Period.”

 

Her eyes softened with understanding and she knelt down beside Georgiana. “Oh, you poor thing. Is this your first?”

 

Georgiana nodded.

 

“How’s that possible?” Loki interjected, with a frown.

 

“I’d say it’s because of the state of her health when she first came here,” Frigga replied, “and I’m sure Eir would agree. With not being fed properly, your body still functioned like that of a young child, so it didn’t realise when you’d actually become a woman,” she added, kindly, to Georgiana. “Were you not told about this?”

 

Georgiana shook her head. “No. Bess never said anything.” She ducked her head. “I made a mess on the sheets and the floor. I’m so sorry.”

 

“They’ll wash,” Loki replied, gently.

 

Frigga reached out and squeezed the girl’s hand. “Loki, do you think you could leave us a moment, please?”

 

Loki nodded and got to his feet, his fingers lingering for as long as possible upon her cheek, Georgiana noticed, before he left the room. It made her blush. She turned to Frigga, stammering “Do you mean I should have had this a long time ago, then?”

 

“Most women start when they reach twelve or thirteen,” Frigga replied. “As I said, your body wasn’t quite functioning properly because you’d not been taken care of properly back in Althrop.”

 

“And now I’m here...I am,” Georgiana realised.

 

“Yes,” Frigga smiled. “Oh, no wonder you looked so frightened just now. I was the same when it happened to me, but my Mother was there to explain it all.”

 

“Loki says it stops on its own, in a few days,” Georgiana ventured.

 

“Yes, it does,” Frigga replied. “But it’s easy to keep it from making a mess and interfering with your life. It’s just something we women have to live with.”

 

“Why does it hurt?” Georgiana asked, rubbing her stomach.

 

“It’s to do with muscle contractions,” Frigga replied. “Eir can probably explain that part better than I can, but it’s really nothing to worry about.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “I thought I was dying,” she confessed.

 

Frigga smiled but didn’t mock. “Well, in that box you’ll find some things to help absorb the bleeding. I’ll show you. And I’m sure my son can find a way to help you relieve the pain,” she added, with a mischievous look in her eyes.

 

It was still a little scary, Georgiana thought, even if it was normal for women. The thought of blood just coming at random times of her life, although Frigga assured her that she would be able to predict when each one would come, give or take a few days, creeping up on her with painful cramps and feelings of nausea, a whole new experience she had never known about before. She just had to trust that Frigga knew what she was talking about, she supposed. Once she had bathed, Frigga showed her how to take care of the mess the bleeding caused before they both went back into the bedroom to find the servants had already changed the sheets and left her a fresh nightgown on the bed, and Loki seated on one of the chairs, waiting for them.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked, getting to his feet, his eyes on Georgiana. She managed a nod and Loki folded his arms around her and held her close.

 

Frigga smiled and drifted to the door. “I trust you can take it from here,” she said, softly, flashing her youngest son a knowing look before she left the room.

 

Georgiana closed her eyes and pressed closer to Loki. “I’m such an idiot,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “For thinking...thinking I was going to die.”

 

“No, you’re not,” Loki murmured, his voice soothing to her. “It was natural. You didn’t know what was happening.” He tightened his hold on her slightly. “Georgiana, it is alright to get scared by small things like that once in a while.”

 

“I can’t imagine you ever being scared of anything,” Georgiana replied, her voice coming a little stronger now.

 

“Oh, I get scared,” Loki replied, holding her at arm’s length, “but please don’t tell Thor I said that; he’ll never let me live it down.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “I won’t tell him.” Then, glancing at her feet, she added “Y-your Mother said you might be able to help with the pain.”

 

Loki rolled his eyes. “She often likes to tease me that I have healing hands, just because I picked up on healing magic quicker than she did when she was younger. I’m afraid I don’t know much about taking pain away, but I might be able to help.” Georgiana raised her head and he smiled at her. “If you put your chemise on, I can show you.”

 

She nodded and made to do so, wincing slightly at the pain, which now seemed to have migrated. “My stomach doesn’t feel so bad now, but my back aches.”

 

Loki nodded. “I think it comes and goes. That’s what I’ve been told, anyway.”

 

Georgiana wriggled into her chemise and turned to him. “Now what?”

 

Loki climbed onto the bed and patted the spot beside him, indicating for her to join him. When she hesitated, he added, softly, “Trust me.”

 

Slowly, she padded over and joined him. Loki smiled and motioned for her to turn around. Nervously, she did so, and Loki gently began to rub the small of her back.

 

At his touch, she drew in her breath and felt her eyes drift shut. It felt nice, like when he was washing her hair for her, the feeling of his hands massaging her skin, it was soothing, even through her chemise. Almost immediately she felt better. No one had ever touched her like this before, she had never known such a feeling of complete unadulterated bliss could exist or, even if it did, that she could ever know it.

 

Without even knowing she was doing it, she leaned back and Loki moved his hands as she pressed close against him, dangerously close, intimately close. Unconsciously, he slipped his arms around her waist, hands stroking her stomach gently.

 

“That feels wonderful,” Georgiana whispered.

 

He was so close to her lips, he could kiss her, trail his lips across her shoulder to the crook of her neck, moved slowly, teasingly, up to her jaw line and finally claim her mouth, devour that sweetness he knew was in her. But he resisted. She was so innocent, she didn’t realise how intimate a position they were in right now. If he kissed her, he risked frightening her, and losing her trust forever.

 

And she had been frightened enough for one day.

 

He moved his arms and went back to massaging her back, and Georgiana sat up to give him better access. Eventually, after much concentration, he paused, and glanced up.

 

“Feeling better?” he asked.

 

Georgiana nodded, and then turned to him. “Yes, that does feel better,” she said, shyly.

 

Loki reached out and touched her face, gently. “If it starts hurting again, please tell me.”

 

She blushed and nodded again. “Yes, I will.”

 

He sighed and lowered his hand, causing her to look up at him. “Georgiana, I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to answer me honestly.” She looked confused. “Are you scared of me?”

 

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “No.”

 

“Are you sure?” Loki asked.

 

“I’m not scared of you, Loki. I could never be.” The words came tumbling out before she could stop them, and she could feel her face heating up, but there it was. “I mean,” she stammered, looking away from him, “I was a bit shy when I first met you, I still am, but...only because you’re nice to me, and I’m not used to it.” Her eyes met his. “I’m not scared of you. I like it when you’re here.”

 

Relief flooded through him and he reached for her hand. “I could understand if you were,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “But I’m glad you’re not.”

 

Georgiana lowered her eyes, focusing on his tunic rather than his face, it was easier that way. “You’re not scary.”

 

Loki gave her hand a squeeze and then reached forwards to hug her. She wasn’t scared of him. She liked him being near her. That was good. That was better than good. She was beginning to feel more confident around him. Perhaps she would begin to trust him sooner than he anticipated.

 

“Loki?” Georgiana murmured.

 

“Yes?” Loki murmured back.

 

“I’m a bit hungry,” Georgiana stammered.

 

Loki smiled. “I’ll order some food for us.”

 

Georgiana watched him as he climbed off the bed and went to the door, suddenly realising that she didn’t want him gone from her side for long. She put her head on one side, wondering if he was good to her because they were going to be married someday...or for another reason.

 

She shook her head. No, it was impossible. How could he possibly develop those kinds of feelings for her? There was still so much about her he didn’t know.

 

And yet...

 

Loki turned to her and smiled, and as she returned it, she felt the desire to run up to him, and this time she did, she ran up and flung herself into his arms.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured.

 

“For what?” Loki asked in surprise.

 

She shrugged. “Just...for being here. Thank you.”

 

Loki smiled and hugged her back, resting his cheek atop her head. “Georgiana, I will _always_ be here. I promise.”

 

She believe him, she realised. But then, she always seemed to believed him.


	8. "As Someone Told Me Lately, Everyone Deserves the Chance to Fly"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

Thor was just going to bed when it happened. In fact, he was in the process of pulling off his tunic when he happened to glance out of the window, from which the training grounds were clearly visible, in time to see Loki taking out his emotions on one of the straw training dummies.

 

Frowning, and wondering what his brother was doing practising at this time in the evening, Thor made his way down to the grounds, in time to see a flurry of straw being ripped up from the sacking Loki had just shredded with his dagger.

 

He had only ever seen his brother like this a handful of times before, not many, and it could only mean one thing.

 

Loki was angry.

 

“I’m glad that wasn’t a person,” he said when he was within talking distance of his brother. “Otherwise you’d have a lot more mess to clean up than just straw.” Loki didn’t laugh, or look at him, instead opting to slam his dagger into the nearest post. “What’s wrong?” Thor asked.

 

“The way my wife-to-be has been treated all her life,” Loki muttered.

 

Thor moved closer to him, and Loki glanced up at his brother feeling that some kind of pep talk was imminent.

 

“There was no way you could have known before,” Thor pointed out.

 

“I know.” Loki sighed. “If there was, I could have stopped it.”

 

“You can’t hate yourself for that,” Thor began.

 

“I don’t,” Loki interrupted, bitterly. “I hate _them.”_ He kicked what was left of the training dummy on the floor and Thor understood that he had been pretending that it was the Duke. “Because of them her body wasn’t even functioning properly until she came here.”

 

Thor frowned. “What do you mean?”

 

Loki looked at his brother and decided that it was safe to tell him. Thor wouldn’t spill something like this even to their parents, although he suspected by now that their Father already knew about the morning’s incident, Frigga would have found some discreet way of telling him.

 

“Georgiana had her first period today,” he said, lowering his voice, just in case anyone was lurking nearby.

 

“Her first?” Thor looked surprised. “You mean-?”

 

“Exactly,” Loki cut in. “She was terrified out of her mind because she didn’t even know what was going on until I told her. Her body was still functioning like a child’s even though she’s grown way beyond that stage.”

 

Thor shuddered and folded his arms. “Poor thing.”

 

Loki kicked the sacking at their feet again, still feeling venomous. “The next time I see the Duke, I am going to put him through so much pain he’ll feel it for a month.”

 

“You’ll do no such thing,” Thor replied.

 

“Thor, he can’t be allowed to get away with this!”

 

“He won’t! You don’t think Father will allow him to, do you? Once you’re married, he’ll make sure the Duke gets what he deserves.”

 

Loki knew he was right, but he went on feeling angry even so.

 

“And I’m supposed to just stand there and watch, I suppose?” he fired at Thor.

 

“Would Georgiana want you to hurt him?” Thor shot back.

 

Loki flinched, annoyed his brother had gone there. “Leave her out of this, Thor.”

 

“Why? It’s her we’re talking about,” Thor replied, his voice steady. Loki didn’t like the way his brother was looking at him, it reminded him too much of their Father. “She needs you to be the one who comforts her, not the one who terrifies her by suddenly becoming violent towards one of her kin.”

 

“He doesn’t deserve to be related to her,” Loki muttered.

 

“True, but the fact is that he is her relative, and if you take your anger out on him, she might not want anything to do with you.” Thor raised his eyebrows. “Do you want that? Do you want her afraid of you?”

 

“Of course I don’t,” Loki snapped, and then sighed. “That’s the last thing I want.”

 

“Think, then.” Thor tapped the side of his brother’s head with one finger. “Use this; that’s what you’re always telling me.”

 

Loki finally managed a smile. “Don’t let my heart rule my head, right?”

 

Thor grinned at him, teasingly. “Oh, we’re developing feelings for her, are we?”

 

“Shut up,” Loki replied, playfully shoving past him.

 

“That’s not a denial, is it?” Thor turned and fell into step beside him. “Is it?” he prompted when Loki just proceeded to quicken his pace a little without actually answering.

 

“Perhaps if you spent more than five minutes a day with her, you’d understand,” Loki replied, trying, and failing, to conceal his smile.

 

“Perhaps if you let her out of your sight for more than five minutes a day,” Thor quipped back, and received a sudden thump for his teasing. He laughed, rubbing his arm. “Oh, come on, Brother, it’s true. So far she’s spent nearly every day with you.”

 

“Thor, I’m supposed to be earning her trust,” Loki reminded him. “She’s just beginning to get used to me.”

 

“Have she actually ventured outside the palace yet?” Thor asked.

 

Loki shot him a glare. “Yes, a few times, and before you say anything, she’s nervous about horse riding because her Father-”

 

“Died in a riding accident, I know,” Thor cut in. “Sorry I said anything.”

 

Loki took a deep breath. “When are you and the others next going out for a ride?”

 

“In about five days,” Thor replied, with a knowing grin. “You’re welcome to join us, of course.”

 

“And Georgiana?”

 

“I thought she was scared of horses.”

 

“I think she can put her nerves aside for one day. Mother would let her take Léttfeti out.”

 

Thor grinned at him. “Great! I’ll see you both there!”

 

“You’ll see us both at dinner tomorrow,” Loki reminded him, but Thor was already out of earshot. Shaking his head, Loki made his way to bed, feeling better already after having taken out his anger on that training dummy.

 

Thor was right, he reflected, if that had been the Duke, it would have been far too messy.

 

When he knocked on Georgiana’s door the next morning, however, he was surprised by her appearance, even as she tried hard to smile at him. Her hair was mussed, a clear sign she had been tossing and turning all night and her eyes were red and slightly puffy.

 

“Georgiana, have you been crying?” he asked, catching hold of her gently.

 

“No.” Georgiana sighed when he gave her a look. “Yes.” She hugged herself, glancing at her feet. “It’s been hurting all night.”

 

“Well, why didn’t you come and find me?” Loki asked. “I told you to come to me if you needed anything.”

 

She blushed. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

 

With a sigh, Loki pulled her into a hug. “Georgiana, always wake me when you need something. I’ll never be angry with you for that. Promise me.”

 

“I promise,” Georgiana whispered, closing her eyes and clinging tightly to him. She scolded herself inwardly for not plucking up the courage to do so last night. Loki was always nice to her; she’d had no reason to think that he’d be annoyed with her for having woken him.

 

Why couldn’t she just trust him?

 

She knew why. She’d been hurt too often by people she’d thought she could trust.

 

It would come, but it would take time.

 

Still, when she experienced pain the next night, she mustered up her courage and went to knock on Loki’s door. He led her to the Healing Room, where they found Eir still up, and she was able to help with a potion for the pain. After that, she ceased to be nervous about such things.

 

The next three days passed with her cycle slowly petering out until she woke up one morning to find no blood in the napkin she’d been using and no pain inside anywhere. That was the morning Loki came to her and informed her that he wanted her to get on a horse again.

 

She felt a twinge of dread in her stomach as he led her to the stables, and was surprised when Gyllir nudged up to her from his stall, wanting a pat. That made her feel a little better about riding properly for the first time and she stroked his muzzle until a boy brought out a piebald brown and white mare from the neighbouring stall. Remembering what Loki had told her about horses being easily startled, she reached a hand slowly to her, and the mare nuzzled up against her fingers, allowing her to step closer and run a hand through her mane.

 

“She’s beautiful,” Georgiana said, softly, turning to Loki. “What’s her name?”

 

“Léttfeti,” Loki replied. “She’s Mother’s, but you can use her for now.”

 

She was trembling, she realised, as she was helped up into the saddle. It had been a bit easier before, because Loki had been with her. Now, however, she was on a horse on her own. Thankfully, both Loki and Léttfeti were patient with her, allowing her to adjust at her own pace, and soon she ceased to be scared.

 

They spent the entire day trotting around the grounds and courtyard together, Loki explaining everything to her that she needed to know, and she took it all in as easily as absorbing everything else around her. By the time the lessons were over, she was quite tired, but somewhat happy, feeling that perhaps the Duke might be proud of her learning to ride, even if he had never thought her worth teaching.

 

“Thor wants us to go riding with him and his friends tomorrow,” Loki informed her at her door. “That is, if you’d like to.”

 

Georgiana thought about it and then nodded. “Yes, I would like that.”

 

He smiled at her and then kissed her hand. “Goodnight, Georgiana.”

 

“Goodnight, Loki,” Georgiana whispered back.

 

Thor met them by the stables the next morning, with his friends already present, Georgiana was surprised to see. There was a woman with long, dark hair dressed in warriors clothing and three men, dressed in a similar manner; one dark, one fair and one with a mess of red curls. Feeling slightly shy about meeting new people, she smoothed her hands down the front of her green riding dress, which Frigga had had commissioned for her two days ago upon realizing she didn’t have any riding clothes. The skirt was slit, which she had felt self-conscious about at first, until Frigga had informed her that women usually wore riding hose beneath their dresses anyway, and had commissioned her to have some made in brown. The dress was pattered with pale green swirls, which looked gold in some lights, and completed with a short green cape and hood. Her new riding boots outdoor boots completed the ensemble.

 

“Morning,” Thor greeted them both, with a grin.

 

Georgiana managed a shy smile. “Good morning.”

 

The woman turned from adjusting her saddle and smiled at her. “Hello, I’m Sif.”

 

“I’m Fandral,” the blonde man added, his tone easy and friendly, “and this is Volstagg and Hogun.”

 

“The Warriors Three,” declared Volstagg, who still looked to be finishing his breakfast, brandishing his free fist in the air.

 

Hogun made a small bow from the waist. “An honour to make your acquaintance, my Lady.”

 

“I’m afraid I saw her first, Hogun,” Loki replied, only half-teasing.

 

Thor shot him a look and then hefted himself up onto his own horse. Georgiana simply giggled, however, as Hogun took the jest in good humour, spreading his hands in a gesture that said he was only human and was always brought up to be polite to women.

 

“Are we all ready to go?” Thor asked.

 

“Yes, already,” sighed Sif, rolling her eyes at Georgiana and mouthing “Men!”

 

“I saw that,” Thor informed her, urging his horse forwards.

 

“You were meant to,” Sif quipped back, overtaking him on her own horse.

 

Georgiana pulled herself easily into her saddle and turned to Loki. “Is it always like this?” she asked, quietly.

 

Loki smiled at her. “I’m afraid so.”

 

“Good,” Georgiana replied, returning his smile. “It’s nice.”

 

They quickly fell into step with their fellow riders.

 

“Are we going to race?” Fandral asked.

 

“Georgiana’s only been riding for a day,” Loki warned him.

 

“Oh, I’m sure she can hold her own with the rest of us,” Fandral replied, grinning, turning to Georgiana. “What do you think?”

 

“Fandral, leave her alone,” Sif chided.

 

“What?”

 

Blushing, Georgiana glanced at Loki. “I don’t mind. I mean...we can race, if that’s what everyone else wants to do.”

 

“See?” Fandral gave Loki a nudge and urged his horse forwards.

 

“Well, if you start without us, it’s hardly fair, is it?” Thor shouted after him.

 

“Hoi!” Volstagg shouted, brandishing his half-eaten capon leg in the air. “Good warrior Fandral, what about your brothers-in-arms?”

 

He and Hogun charged their horses after him.

 

Loki moved closer to Georgiana. “Georgiana, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

 

She turned to him. “But I do want to.”

 

“Well, come on, then,” Sif exclaimed with a laugh, giving her horse’s reins a yank and speeding past them.

 

Feeling a little braver, Georgiana copied her and Léttfeti immediately began to gallop forwards. She had thought it would be a scary feeling, but it was suddenly exciting and she began to urge Léttfeti on faster. Somehow, it wasn’t fast enough, and she gave the reins another tug, feeling as if she was flying.

 

Loki couldn’t believe it. Yesterday she had been scared about even getting on a horse, and now...

 

What a change in a girl.

 

Thor laughed as she managed to outpace them all and then slowed his horse. Loki did the same as his brother turned to him in wonder. “What have you done to her? She’s not afraid at all now.”

 

Loki laughed and then shouted “Georgiana!”

 

Hearing him, Georgiana turned her head, and then seeing that the others were miles behind her, slowed Léttfeti. “What is it?”

 

“I think you’ve won!” Loki laughed.

 

Georgiana smiled, and then suddenly, without warning, Léttfeti started and reared. Georgiana felt her hands slip from the reins as she was thrown off with a yelp and landed hard on her back. She was aware of Loki shouting her name as he came riding up and threw himself down beside her as Thor caught hold of Léttfeti’s reins and tried to calm her.

 

“Ow,” Georgiana moaned, a tiny sound.

 

“Are you alright?” Loki asked, helping her sit up.

 

“I-I-I think so,” Georgian stammered, rubbing the small of her back. “What did I do?”

 

Sif had dismounted and now she flicked her sword at something in the grass, sending it flying across the plain away from them. “You didn’t do anything, Georgiana, it was a bloody snake. It scared her.”

 

“Easy,” Thor muttered to Léttfeti.

 

Loki helped Georgiana to her feet. She was shaking all over, so he quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Georgiana buried her face in his chest, clinging to him, glad that he was there. The others tactfully made a show of searching the grass for more snakes, finding none, in order to give them a private moment.

 

“Are you sure you’re not hurt?” Loki asked, gently rubbing her back.

 

“No, it just scared me, that’s all,” Georgiana whispered.

 

Loki glance doubtfully at Léttfeti, wondering whether this event had frightened her off horses for good. Then, to his surprise, Hogun spotted where he was looking and came over.

 

“In my village,” he said, causing them both to look up at him, “we have a saying. If you fall off a horse, get straight back on, otherwise you let fear win. And fear should never win.”

 

“No more snakes,” Sif reported, coming up. “Are you alright?”

 

Georgiana nodded, and then, to the surprise of everyone, she pulled herself back onto Léttfeti’s back. Hogun smiled at her and bowed his head, a “Well done,” gesture before going back over to his own horse.

 

“Wow,” Fandral muttered. “First time I’ve heard him speak and it’s not been something dark and ominous.”

 

Loki swung himself up onto Gyllir’s back, watching in a mixture of surprise and admiration as Georgiana leaned forwards and ruffled Léttfeti’s mane, and at the same time feeling his heart swell with something deeper than fondness, deeper than empathy, for her.

 

Perhaps getting her to trust in herself was another step closer to getting her to trust him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana's Riding Dress: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/474x/b8/b9/7e/b8b97ec7a3ee31e436e4c73b1a0f4ce2.jpg


	9. “In His Eyes, I See A Gentle Glow, And That’s Where I’ll Be Safe, I Know”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

“I’m telling you, we’ve been through this pass before,” Volstagg insisted.

 

“And I’m telling you, we haven’t,” Loki replied, calmly.

 

“You should listen to him, Volstagg,” Thor grinned. “Loki’s got the best sense of direction in this group.”

 

“Yes, let’s not forget who once got lost in his own village,” Loki added, smiling slyly at Volstagg.

 

Volstagg reddened as the others laughed, and then tossed his empty capon bone at Loki. It missed only because Loki swerved neatly out of the way at the last second, and Georgiana blinked at him in surprise. How quick his reflexes were; it sent a chill through her bones.

 

Thor turned his horse in the direction Loki had been indicating and took the lead, as usual. Sif moved closer to Georgiana and smiled, kindly, at her. “You alright?”

 

Georgiana nodded. “Yes, just...is he always that fast?”

 

Sif laughed, lightly. “Oh, you should see him on the battlefield, Georgiana. He’s practically a blur.”

 

Georgiana glanced at Loki, riding up front with his brother, and realised that such a notion sent a thrill through her. She tried not to shiver.

 

“Hey, what’s that?” Fandral pointed to something in the distance. Georgiana squinted; it looked like the remains of a building.

 

“I told you,” Loki replied, smugly, looking at Volstagg.

 

“It looks like a temple,” Hogun said. “Or what’s left of one, anyway.”

 

The party rode closer and saw that he was right. Ever curious, even as adults, Thor, Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three all dismounted at once and moved closer. Georgiana hesitated. The ruins looked a little scary in this light, and then she decided that she didn’t want to be left on her own, and that there was definitely safety in numbers, so she leapt down and followed.

 

“Probably knocked down in a storm or something,” Fandral mused, hands on hips.

 

Sif shuddered. “Kind of spooky, isn’t it, like this?”

 

“Not scared, are you, Sif?” Thor laughed. “A tough warrior like you?”

 

“Shut up,” she retorted, throwing a soft punch at him.

 

Loki felt something slide into his hand and he looked up in surprise to see Georgiana standing right beside him. She looked nervous, her eyes flickering around the ruined building, her other hand rigid at her side. Offering her a comforting smile, Loki squeezed her hand back and stepped a little further into the ruins, leading her with him.

 

“It’s just a pile of old stones,” he murmured, softly. “There’s nothing here that can hurt us.”

 

Georgiana nodded, but didn’t let go of his hand.

 

“Oh, look.” Hogun pointed, dully, down at the floor, where a large round hole was carved into the stone, leading down into darkness. “The way down to the catacombs, do you reckon?”

 

“Probably,” Thor grinned, stepping over to it. “So, who wants to do the honours?”

 

As the others began to space out, exploring the stones, some of which were still standing, Georgiana finally began to feel brave enough to let go of Loki’s hand, although she kept him in sight as she moved, always within running-right-back-to-his-arms distance just in case.

 

Sif came up to her, cautiously picking her way over the stones.

 

“So, how are you finding it here?” she asked, quietly. “I mean, you know, with Loki. He seems to like you a lot.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Well, I like him too,” she stammered. “He’s the first person I’ve ever met who’s nice to me. I like being with him.”

 

“Aw.” Sif smiled as she glanced over to where Loki was standing with Thor. “You know, I’ve never seen him so worried before like he was just now.”

 

Georgiana ducked her head, her blush deepening. “Really?”

 

“Well, not since our last battle and he thought Thor wasn’t going to make it, anyway,” Sif added, thoughtfully, and then explained to Georgiana’s questioning look, “Spear to the chest, it took a whole week of healing but he lived. Well, obviously.”

 

Georgiana giggled, uncertainly, deciding that she liked Sif, even if she felt a little bit out of her depth in her presence. “I-it’s like,” she stammered, glancing over at Loki, “when he’s near me...when I look in his eyes...I can’t see anything to be afraid of.” She looked quickly at her feet in case Loki suddenly looked over at her. “The Duke always glared at me, his eyes were always cold. Loki’s not like that.”

 

“Well, I’m not doing it,” Fandral insisted, and both girls turned their heads to see what was going on.

 

“Vostagg won’t fit,” Thor reminded him.

 

“Hurtful!” Volstagg objected.

 

“We don’t even know what’s down there,” Fandral protested, turning to face Georgiana and Sif as they came up. “Am I right?”

 

“Well, you can tell us,” Loki replied, jerking his elbow forwards and toppling Fandral into the hole.

 

Fandral yelped and seized the edge, legs dangling. “Oi! Get me back up!”

 

Hogun crouched by the hole and frowned. “Let go and you’ll be on the floor. I can see it from here.”

 

Fandral did as he was told and let out an embarrassed exclamation of “Oh!” Loki glanced up, met Georgiana’s eyes and smiled at her. She returned it as she edged closer to him and, discreetly, he offered her his hand, and she took it. “Oh, Norns, there’s a spider’s web as big as a house down here!” Fandral yelped. “Get me back up! Now!” Volstagg and Hogun both crouched down and seized an arm each, yanking him up. _“Do not_ want to meet the spider that made _that!”_ Fandral muttered, brushing himself down.

 

Georgiana moved back, slightly. “I don’t like spiders.”

 

Loki gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

 

“Come on, Fandral, you’ve fought bigger than that before,” Sif reminded him, shaking her head. “Frost Giants, for one.”

 

“Frost Giants are meant to be big, the clue’s in the name,” Fandral retorted.

 

Loki led Georgiana away from the hole, noticing there was a doorway looking over the side of a cliff. The door itself had long since rotted away, but beyond what was left of the arch of stones that had once held it, the view was magnificent. Georgiana felt her breath hitch in her throat as she uttered a soft “Wow,” relaxing her grip on Loki’s hand a little.

 

“Is there a way down?” Thor asked, brushing past them and glancing downwards. He answered his own question with a “Looks to be a path.”

 

“Lead on then, Oh Mighty Prince of Asgard,” Loki jested.

 

Thor just rolled his eyes and then did as his brother suggested.

 

“What exactly are we doing?” Sif asked, following Thor. The others copied her and began to manoeuvre their way down the gravel-skittered pathway leading downwards.

 

“Exploring,” Thor replied, with a smile. “Questing. It’s an adventure, Sif.”

 

“I would have thought we’d had enough of those,” she muttered.

 

Volstagg, who was unfortunately at the rear of the train of people, suddenly slipped with a shout of “Whoa! Incoming!” He promptly crashed into everyone else, sending them all skidding down the sloping pathway and landing in a confused heap of everybody at the bottom of it.

 

Georgiana allowed a brief giggle to escape her as she caught her breath. Everyone else groaned as they rolled apart, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

 

“Sorry,” Volstagg groaned. “Lost my footing.”

 

“Think we were lucky you didn’t kill anyone,” Loki muttered, sitting up and brushing himself off.

 

“Again, hurtful!”

 

Loki grinned and then turned to Georgiana, his eyes becoming concerned immediately. “You alright?”

 

“That was sort of fun in a terrifying sort of way,” Georgiana replied, shyly.

 

“Pft!” Sif blew up her fringe as she wriggled her legs from under Hogun’s. “That’s one way of putting it!”

 

Loki got to his feet and helped Georgiana to hers. Everyone else quickly got up, brushing themselves down, and then stared out over the landscape that had been below them only moments ago.

 

“Blimey,” Fandral said, eventually.

 

The ancient land before them was a picture of green and grey, grass and stone glinting in the golden light of the sun, bathed by morning. Just in front of them a small stream turned into small waterfalls, speeding and hurrying over one another in crystal fractions, whilst the land on its other side was edged with a forest that smelled faintly of pine trees. All around them were mountains, tipped with snow, curved, giving the feeling that they were all standing inside a giant bowl.

 

“Hel, no wonder they wanted to worship here,” Volstagg said.

 

Thor led the way forwards towards the stream, the noise of the rushing waterfalls increasing as they neared them. “What do you think?” he asked. “Follow the waterfalls, or cross the stream?”

 

“That’s leading upwards,” Volstagg pointed out, gesturing across the stream. “We’ll already have to climb that path back to the top where we left the horses, I’m not climbing anymore.”

 

“The waterfalls slope down, you’d have to climb upwards either way,” Loki replied, logically.

 

“He’s right,” Hogun agreed.

 

Volstagg sighed.

 

Georgiana made the decision for them all, however, by moving cautiously in the direction the waterfalls were leading and peering down the slope. It didn’t look that steep and the waters collected in a large lake at the bottom of the valley.

 

“Let’s go,” Sif said, taking the lead as she followed in the direction Georgiana was looking.

 

The slope led them down to the edge of the lake, the water so clear that they could see the bottom, small, pretty fish darting in and out between the weeds. A single leaf floating on the surface looked to be suspended in mid-air. The bottom of the lake had a friendly green tinge too it, which looked warm and inviting.

 

“Ah, and us without bathing suits,” Sif sighed, gently nudging Georgiana in a suggestive manner.

 

“Well, we could always-”

 

“NO!” The others cut off Fandral’s suggestion, knowing full well what it would be.

 

“None of us want to swim around naked in each others’ presence,” Hogun added, for confirmation.

 

Georgiana met Loki’s eyes and smiled, shyly.

 

“Oh, come on, we’re all friends here, aren’t we?” Fandral exclaimed.

 

Thor shook his head. “You can go in without your clothes if you want to, Fandral, but you’ll be doing it on your own.”

 

The desire to feel the water was just too great. She couldn’t swim, but she knew that just dipping her feet in wouldn’t harm her, so she sat down on the pebbled edge of the lake and began to unfasten her boots. To her surprise, Sif did the same, shooting her a smile, before leaping up and walking into the shallows. The others quickly followed suit, but Georgiana stayed where she was and just slid her feet quietly into the water. It felt so cool on a warm day, so blissful. She had never been to a place like this before, never been this close to water that hadn’t been in her own bathtub.

 

It felt like freedom.

 

Loki sat down beside her, equally quiet, and they watched the others splash around for a minute in silence, smiling when Fandral splashed Volstagg by accident and in return received an almighty splash that soaked his breeches right through. Without even noticing she was doing it, Georgiana leaned closer to Loki and rested her head against his shoulder. Glancing down at the top of her head, Loki suddenly realised that she had been a little bolder about touching lately, she had started to come to him instead of him coming to her, like her voluntarily grabbing his hand in the ruined temple, and now this. Hesitantly, he brought up his hand and cradled the back of her head, softly, stroking her hair.

 

Georgiana closed her eyes. “I like that,” she murmured.

 

Thor glanced over at the pair of them and couldn’t help smiling. He had never seen his brother look so content before. And Georgiana...was it his imagination or was she showing a little more confidence than she had done these past few days?

 

Loki glanced up and met his brother’s gaze. Thor made a suggestive nod in Georgiana’s direction, grinning all over his face. “Shut up,” Loki mouthed, fondly, glancing back down at Georgiana, even though his brother hadn’t actually said anything. But he hadn’t had to. Loki knew what he was thinking.

 

They stayed that way until the others finally came splashing towards them, almost completely wet through, and Fandral muttering that he was sure something had gone swimming up the leg of his breeches when he hadn’t been looking. Georgiana raised her head as they approached, a feeling of calm tranquillity settling over her. This place...it felt like paradise...if such a place existed.

 

“Can we come here again?” she asked softly.

 

“I think the phrase “Hel, yes,” springs to mind, Georgiana,” Sif said, squeezing water from her hair. “Loki, do you think you could..?”

 

“For you, Sif, anything,” Loki replied, sarcastically, conjuring a towel and tossing it to her.

 

Sif rolled her eyes. “Don’t let him get away with that, Georgiana. You have to put your foot down when you’re married to him.”

 

Georgiana giggle, nervously. “I’ll try.” Loki looked at her in surprise, and then learned from her smile that she was teasing him.

 

“Listen, can we stay here for a bit?” Fandral asked, flopping down onto the shore. “Only I don’t fancy riding home soaking wet.”

 

“Nothing to rush back for,” Thor shrugged. “Unless you two have other plans,” he added, nudging Loki with his foot, and then jumping back as a patch of weed by his foot suddenly turned into a snake. “Loki!”

 

Georgiana watched as Loki just grinned and caused the snake to disappear with a wave of his hand. “Teach you not to tease, Thor.”

 

It was true, Georgiana realised, what she had told Sif. Whenever Loki looked at her, she saw nothing but goodness in his eyes, they were the eyes of a man who would never do anything to hurt her, a man who wanted to keep her safe, a man who admired her for her resoluteness and her bravery throughout her ordeal.

 

A man she would be proud to be married to.

 

Had she looked a little closer, she would have also seen that they were the eyes of a man so deeply in love with her at that minute he couldn’t even begin to express his feelings to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Landscape: http://cdn.bigbangfish.com/beautiful/beautiful-landscapes/beautiful-landscapes-1.jpg
> 
> Lake: http://favim.com/orig/201106/11/beautiful-boat-clear-lake-landscape-paradise-Favim.com-72198.jpg
> 
> (The Chapter Title comes from the song In His Eyes from the musical Jekyll and Hyde)


	10. “Look! There’s A Light, Stars In The Night!”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

“Wow...” Georgiana breathed as Loki extinguished the lamps around them, leaving only the stars visible in the whole garden. She had never seen them like this before, viewing them so many times from her bedroom window back in Althrop but always surrounded by light. Now, it was almost completely dark, although her eyes had adjusted enough to their surroundings to see Loki lying beside her.

 

It had been his idea, this. After they had returned to the palace once more with Thor and friends in tow, and after they had all partaken in a hearty dinner, at which Georgiana had firmly made up her mind that she liked Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three very much indeed, he had taken her quietly to one side and asked her if she would join him in the garden in a few minutes, adding that she might want to bring her cloak just in case.

 

And now she could see why he had brought her out here.

 

The whole night sky was just alive with stars, there could be no other way to describe it, a spattering of silver like diamonds spread across black velvet. It was so beautiful, was it any wonder Loki had wanted to share this with her? He had spread a sizeable blanket on the ground, upon which they were lying side by side to stare up at the stars, and, as he turned his head slightly to see her beautiful brown eyes fixated upon the sky, he knew that it had been a good idea.

 

“You see that cluster of them up there?” he said, pointing to a patch of stars just left of the constellation they were staring straight at. Georgiana nodded. “Thor and I used to say that they looked like a spear with fire coming out of it. From a certain angle.” Georgiana turned her head, trying to see what he meant. Loki dropped his hand and rested both on his stomach. “We used to do this all the time when we were younger, before we started training in combat, of course, trying to see pictures in the stars.”

 

“I see it,” Georgiana said, softly.

 

Loki smiled. “Then, of course, when we grew up, we learned about all the different constellations, not that Thor had much patience with that, of course.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “Do you know them all? The constellations?”

 

Loki gave her a look that said of course he did, and then pointed upwards again. “Dain, Duneyr, Ratatosk, Eagle, Vedrfolnir, Nidhogg, Hellewagen and Thiassi’s Eyes.”

 

Georgiana frowned, trying to see what patterns the stars made. “What are they all?”

 

“Well, Dain and Duneyr are deer, you see them?” Loki traced both constellations for her. “Those are their antlers.”

 

Georgiana’s eyes widened and she nodded. “Yes, I see them.”

 

“And Ratatosk is a squirrel, although it’s a bit hard to see,” Loki went on, showing her. “But if you imagine that’s its body, and that’s the tail...”

 

Georgiana nodded again. “I-I think I _do_ see it now. And the Eagle’s...just an eagle, right?” she added, feeling both foolish for asking and grateful that it was dark enough for him not to see that she was blushing again.

 

Loki smiled. “Yes, and Vedrfolnir’s a hawk that flies just above its head.”

 

“What about Nidhogg?”

 

“A serpent.”

 

“Oh, yes. I see it! That’s an easy one.”

 

“And Hellewagen is-”

 

“Some kind of wagon?”

 

Loki turned to her with a grin. “Alright then, Lady Georgiana the Clever, tell me how it goes.”

 

Georgiana blushed but raised her arm to guess at where the constellation began. “Um...I think it’s...is it that?” She gestured, tracing what looked something like a long, crooked pole attached to a small cart, hoping Loki wouldn’t tease her if she got it wrong.

 

“Well done,” Loki commented, feeling a rush of palpitations all of a sudden as he watched her just move her arm through the air. Taking a deep breath and praying his voice suddenly wouldn’t constrict in his throat, he added “And then Thiassi’s Eyes, well, that’s another easy one.”

 

“Two eyes?” Georgiana guessed with a smile.

 

“Yes,” Loki replied, feeling his stomach quivering. Just hearing her voice sent something through him, a sudden feeling of nerves, the like of which he had never felt before in the presence of anyone, man or woman.

 

What was she doing to him?

 

Georgiana sighed, contentedly. “I used to see the stars from my window back in Althrop, but not like this.” She turned to look at him, adding nervously “I never had anyone to look at them with before.”

 

Automatically, Loki reached for her hand and grasped it, lacing their fingers together. Georgiana frowned and glanced at their joined hands, taken aback by the nature of the gesture.

 

“What is it?” Loki asked, gently, sensing her surprise.

 

“H-have I been doing this wrong?” Georgiana stammered, gesturing to their hands.

 

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

 

“Well...” Helplessly, not sure of how to put what she was thinking into words, Georgiana gestured again, this time flexing her fingers against him, and this time Loki understood.

 

He smiled. “No, Georgiana. There are different ways of holding hands; this is just a more intimate way of doing it.” Then, suddenly worried that the thought of it might make her uncomfortable, he added “But, we don’t have to do it like this if you don’t want to-”

 

“No,” Georgiana interrupted, the colour quickly rushing to her cheeks at the quickness and readiness of her answer. “No,” she added, shyly, ducking her head. “This-this is fine.”

 

For emphasis, she squeezed his fingers in hers, gently, feeling warm inside when he returned the gesture with a firmer one of his own. They exchanged a smile before turning their eyes skyward again. The stars glittered at them, like fireflies, they seemed to be winking. To Loki’s mind, it felt they were telling him that his feelings were safe, for now. To Georgiana’s, it was a friendly feeling, like being watched by angels.

 

“You must have been so lonely,” Loki murmured, regretfully.

 

Georgiana hesitated and then nodded. “Yes, only I don’t think I really knew what I was missing until I came here. I...just wanted all the pain to stop, but...I never thought it would. And then, when you told me that it wasn’t normal...I-didn’t know what to think. It was weird, thinking that maybe...maybe it shouldn’t have happened to me.”

 

“It shouldn’t have,” Loki insisted, turning to her. “You were kept like a prisoner in what should have been your own home, you were starved and beaten for no reason whatsoever other than the fact that your “guardians” had a twisted sense of how to look after you; and you did nothing to deserve any of it.” His grip on her hand tightened. “You should have been loved, Georgiana, not starved and beaten so terrified of the world that you were afraid of me when we first met.”

 

“Ow!” Georgiana squeaked.

 

Loki instantly released her hand, cursing himself for having got so carried away in his anger towards the Duke that he had hurt her. “Norns, Georgiana, I’m so sorry.” Catching her hand gently, he pressed a kiss against it. “Are you alright?”

 

Georgiana looked up at him, her eyes wide. “You...didn’t mean to do that?”

 

“No, Gods, no,” Loki murmured, brushing her hand against his lips again. “I don’t want to hurt you, Georgiana. I never want to see you hurt again.”

 

Looking into his eyes, Georgiana knew he was telling her the truth. She nodded. “It’s alright, it really didn’t hurt that much.”

 

Loki lowered her hand, looking right back into her eyes. They were so big, that rich shade of brown, so beautiful. “You are so brave,” he murmured, softly.

 

Georgiana ducked her head. “No, I’m not. You just said it. I’m afraid of everything in the world in case it hurts me; you, at first, horses, doing the wrong thing-”

 

“But you face your fears,” Loki interrupted, gently, his fingers brushing the back of her hand, soothingly. “Like earlier today. You got right back on Léttfeti even though she’d just thrown you. Or the day we met, you came with us even though you were afraid at first. And you came through everything that was done to you. You survived it. I’ve seen soldiers on the battlefield running into the heat of the fighting trembling all over, and yet not one of them compares to you when it comes to bravery.” Gently, he reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek, causing her to finally look up. “You’re a fighter, Georgiana, and that makes you the bravest person I have ever met.”

 

Georgiana blinked, hopefully, up at him. His words sounded so sincere. “You really believe that?”

 

“I really do,” Loki replied, softly, linking their fingers together again.

 

“Thank you,” Georgiana whispered as he once again pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

 

They were both quiet a minute, slowly watching the stars, and then Loki was aware of Georgiana attempting to stifle a yawn. He turned to her with a smile. “Tired?”

 

“No,” Georgiana replied, although it was clearly a feeble attempt to lie, her voice too light, too casual, to be telling the truth.

 

“Yes, you are,” Loki insisted, sitting up. “And I’m not surprised. You’ve had a long day.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Alright, perhaps I am...just a little bit.” Loki laughed, softly, and as she sat herself up, she suddenly felt an unexpected and inexplicable rush of confidence. Perhaps it came from what he had just said, or perhaps it was just because she was feeling tired, but at any rate, she suddenly shot forwards and thrust herself into his arms. Loki immediately wrapped her in a tight hug, holding her so tightly, so tenderly, and mentally telling himself not to go too far with his displays of affection towards her. Telling her how he felt could easily frighten her away from him, cause her to shrink away into herself again, not feel able to trust him.

 

She wasn’t ready to hear it, no matter how ready he might be to tell her.

 

So, he just held her, until he felt that she was starting to drift off in his arms. Gently, he moved, just to rouse her, and smiled as she blinked up at him, drowsily.

 

“Come on,” he murmured, “you need to go to bed.”

 

With a smile, she nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. Gathering up the blanket, Loki took her hand and walked her back to her room. Georgiana made a conscious effort to stay awake until they reached the door, determined to make the walk back as memorable as possible. She couldn’t place why, but she really did like Loki being around her the way he was, looking out for her, she supposed. It just felt nice.

 

It felt right, somehow.

 

“I really had fun today,” she admitted at the door. “Your friends are nice.”

 

Loki smiled. “They’re actually Thor’s friends, but they put up with me because I’m related to him.”

 

She giggled. “Well, goodnight, Loki.”

 

“Goodnight, Georgiana,” Loki replied, reaching forward to give her a hug, noting that she clung to him like she didn’t really want him to leave.

 

But they weren’t ready for that step just yet.

 

He waited until she had closed the door, smiling shyly at him as she did so, before making his way to his own door.

 

“I saw that.”

 

Loki jumped and whipped around to see his brother standing behind him.

 

“Thor, don’t do that!” he hissed, annoyed at having been frightened.

 

“Sorry,” Thor grinned, going up to him. “Not like you to jump so easily. I thought you were constantly alert.”

 

“Well, I’ve got other things on my mind,” Loki muttered.

 

“So I saw,” Thor agreed.

 

Loki scowled at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Come on, Loki, we’re brothers.” Thor’s expression became serious. “I know you by now.”

 

Loki raised his eyebrow. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know what you’re on about.”

 

“I saw the way you looked at her just now,” Thor replied. “I’m not blind, Loki. I put two and two together earlier when she fell off Léttfeti. I’ve never seen you so panicked before.”

 

Loki sighed and then glanced around the corridor. “Look, do we have to discuss this here? Come in.”

 

The pair of them quickly made their way into Loki’s room, and Thor grinned at his brother. “Admit it, you definitely want to kiss her.”

 

“Thor, I’m not in the mood to be teased,” Loki told him, tossing the blanket onto the nearest chair and turning to face his brother. “I think I might be in love with her.”

 

Thor looked at him in surprise. _“In love?_ You’ve only known her a few days.”

 

“I know. But...” Loki let the sentence drift as he tried to express what he was feeling. “I can’t explain it, Thor; all I know is that somewhere between first meeting her and this moment, I fell for her. And not just because she’s going to be my wife, or because she needs looking after, there’s just something about her pulling me in, like she’s trying to drag me underwater or something, and suddenly...suddenly, yes, I _do_ want to kiss her, and more, and I can’t because that might scare her away when I’m supposed to be winning her trust and it’s torture.”

 

Exasperatedly, he ran a hand through his hair as his brother blinked at him in surprise.

 

“Welcome to love,” he managed to say, causing Loki to look up at him. “It _is_ torture, from what I hear anyway.”

 

Loki managed a smile. “What is she doing to me, Thor?”

 

“I don’t know, but I can see why you’ve fallen,” Thor replied, stepping up to him. “She’s charmed Sif and the others after only one day.”

 

Loki looked away from him. “She’s just so innocent, Thor, so scared, everything’s so new to her here, and yet...she’s brave too. And clever.”

 

“You like clever girls,” Thor reminded him.

 

“I do,” Loki agreed, glancing up at him.

 

“Do you think she loves you back?” Thor asked.

 

Loki shook his head. “She’s still so tentative around me.”

 

“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you.” Thor laid a hand on his shoulder. “I saw the way she was looking at you just now too, and the way you two were earlier by the lake. She likes you, Brother. Give it time, she might fall too.”

 

Loki smiled. “I think that might be wishful thinking, but thanks anyway.”

 

Thor grinned. “Well, perhaps if you did kiss her-”

 

He ducked as Loki threw a pillow at him with an exclamation of “Get out, Thor!” Once his brother had gone, however, Loki threw himself down on the bed, covering his face with his hands and thinking hard. He couldn’t fathom how it had happened. All he knew was that no matter what her feelings towards him might be, he would love her until the day he died.

 

The thing was, though, that if she didn’t love him back, well, that could make their relationship extremely awkward, and what if, worse, she fell in love with someone else?

 

It would drive him mad.

 

“Why do things always have to be so complicated?” he muttered, closing his eyes and allowing sleep to take him.


	11. "Someone To Understand Your Hopes And Fears"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

It was still dark when Georgiana woke. Well, darkish. The sun hadn’t started to rise just yet, but she could see, just, in her room, which was beginning to grow familiar to her the more time she spent in it. She turned over and looked up at the ceiling above her as she lay, allowing her body to slowly wake up properly, and thinking about the night before.

 

A smile touched her lips as she remembered Loki calling her “brave.” No one had ever called her that before. But then, she reflected, no one had ever called her “beautiful” either until Loki had come into her life.

 

Was she really those things? Or were they things only _he_ could see somehow?

 

She pushed herself up and rubbed her eyes, stretching her arms out in front of her. Her bruises were beginning to fade, and it suddenly occurred to her that this would probably be the last time her body bore such marks, if what Loki had told her was true, that he didn’t want to hurt her, and that no one here would.

 

She believed him.

 

Clambering out of bed, she opened the curtains in time to see the sun beginning to rise. Not really wishing to leave the room just yet, she climbed back into bed and picked up the book of fairytales sitting on her nightstand. Loki had said that she could take it out of the library to practise her reading. Opening it at a random page, she flicked back until she found the beginning of the story, took a deep breath and began to read, murmuring the words softly to herself as she followed them with her finger.

 

Presently, her face lit up and she threw herself off the bed, rushed to the door and hurried out into the corridor, skidding to a halt outside Loki’s door. Taking another deep breath, she knocked and waited.

 

Loki jumped out of his sleep at the sound of someone knocking on his bedroom door. With a groan, he rubbed his eyes before sitting up, thinking that if it was his brother at the door, he would probably give him a dead arm for waking him up so early.

 

“Coming,” he muttered when the knocking started up again. Swinging himself out of bed, he stretched, yawned and then made his way to the door, surprised, when he opened it, that it was Georgiana standing there instead of his brother. “Georgiana. Is something wrong?”

 

She shook her head, smiling shyly at him. “No, I...just had to tell you something.” Then, embarrassed, she ducked her head, adding “I’m sorry, I should have waited-”

 

“No,” Loki interrupted, offering her a soft smile, “it’s alright. I was awake anyway. Come in.”

 

She slipped into his room, noting that it looked a lot like hers, except it was furnished in green, black and gold, his colours. There was also that comforting scent of him still lingering around the place, and she inhaled it, feeling warm inside.

 

Loki closed the door and turned to her, and she smiled up at him, holding up the book. “I read a whole story aloud and I didn’t get stuck once.”

 

“Georgiana, that’s wonderful.” Loki threw his arms around her and hugged her close. “Which one?”

 

“The one about the prince who goes to save his older brother from a curse and gets the princess on the way,” Georgiana replied, closing her eyes. His scent was more noticeable now her face was pressed against his chest, he felt warmer this time in the morning. It was even more comfortable. “I can’t remember what it’s called.”

 

“The Forest of Truth,” Loki replied, with a smile. “I’ve always loved that one too.” Mainly because it was about the younger brother being the hero and getting the girl. He gave her a squeeze and then released her. “Show me.”

 

She frowned. “Sorry?”

 

“Show me you can do it. Read me a story.”

 

He led her to the bed and they sat upon it, facing one another. Nervously, Georgiana flicked through the book until she found a story she hadn’t read yet and hesitated. “This one?”

 

Loki glanced at the page. It was “The Three Wishes,” a somewhat longer fairytale than “The Forest of Truth,” but then, he thought, that would be good for her. He nodded. “Go on.”

 

Georgiana took a deep breath and then began to read, and whilst she spoke the words uncertainly, she didn’t falter, she didn’t stumble or stop to try and pronounce any long words, she made it through the entire story without one failure. When she had finished, she looked up to see him staring at her in amazement, his eyes clearly filled with admiration for her.

 

It made her blush.

 

“You did it.” Loki leaned forwards and took both her hands in his. “I’m proud of you.”

 

Georgiana smiled and ducked her head. “I’m proud of me too,” she whispered.

 

“You know this means that you’ve picked up on reading quicker than I did when I was learning?” Loki added, raising his eyebrows at her. “I always thought that was impossible for anyone.”

 

She giggled, nervously, and then, raising her eyes to his, stammered, “So...what are we doing today?”

 

Loki thought for a second. “What do you want to do?”

 

She looked genuinely surprised. “You mean, I can choose?”

 

“Well, it’s only fair,” Loki replied. “Seems like I’m forever choosing what we do, now it’s your turn. What would you like to do today?”

 

Georgiana tried to think up something, but her mind felt blank.

 

“I don’t know,” she admitted, shyly. “I just...”

 

Then, she trailed off, and ducked her head again.

 

“What?” Loki prompted, gently.

 

“I just like being with you,” Georgiana admitted, feeling a feeling like butterflies inside her at telling him so. She didn’t know why she was so nervous about saying something like that to him; surely it was what any man wanted to hear from a woman he was going to marry, and yet...

 

She didn’t know, she just couldn’t place it. All she knew was that it was the truth, she did like being with him. Why it made her cheeks heat up to admit it she had no idea.

 

Unless it was because she didn’t actually know if he felt the same way. What if he was only being nice to her because he was doing like he had said about Sif and the Warriors Three, putting up with her because she was going to be his wife?

 

Loki smiled and squeezed her hands, gently. “I like being with you too.”

 

She looked up into his eyes, and though they were sincere, she felt the need to make sure. “Promise?”

 

“I promise,” Loki insisted, and she relaxed. After a thoughtful pause, Loki added, “Well, how about when we’ve eaten and dressed, we go to the library and see if we can find you an actual novel to read?”

 

Georgiana’s breath caught in her throat. “You think I’m ready for that?”

 

“Yes, I do,” Loki replied, picking up one of her hands and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “How’s your hand, by the way?” he added, gently squeezing her fingers.

 

“My hand?”

 

“Where I hurt you.”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana blushed. “I’d forgotten. It’s fine now.”

 

“Are you sure?” Loki asked. “I honestly didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just thinking about what had been done to you and it made me so angry I didn’t even notice what I was doing.”

 

“Really, it’s fine,” Georgiana insisted, adding shyly, “And I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”

 

Loki looked at her, tenderly. “I never want to hurt you, Georgiana.”

 

She wanted to say that she believed him, but somehow the words stuck in her throat, so she squeezed his hands, letting the action speak for her. With a smile, Loki climbed off the bed, pulling her with him, and escorted her back to her room for breakfast. Georgiana felt a twinge of excitement as they ate, wondering what kind of stories they could find in the library besides those fairytales. Loki would know, of course; maybe he could find one for her.

 

After dressing, quickly pulling on a dress that was a shade somewhere between blue and green, and which reminded her of one of the fairytales about a mermaid who lived in the depths of the ocean, she followed walked alongside him to the library, feeling once again tiny in comparison to the grandeur of it.

 

Loki went straight to the nearest bookshelf, muttering titles under his breath, and then to her surprise, quickly summoned one from amidst others and held it out to her. “I think you’ll like this one. It’s quite easy to get into.”

 

Georgiana stepped up and took it from him. “Do you use magic for everything?”

 

“Most things,” Loki smiled. “Thor always says I’m just being lazy.”

 

She smiled. “What do you say to that?”

 

“Nothing,” Loki confessed, rubbing the back of his neck, sheepishly, as he grinned at her. “I usually just conjure up something to chase him.”

 

They both laughed. Georgiana turned over the volume he had handed her. “The Scarlet Veil,” she read, slowly, glancing up at him. “That sounds scary.”

 

“Trust me, it’s not,” Loki replied. “It’s an adventure story, about...well, I don’t want to spoil it for you, you’ll have to read and find out.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “It sounds intriguing.”

 

“It’s one of my favourites,” Loki replied, smiling at her. Then, a serious look crossed his face and he added “You know I’d never recommend you something if I thought it would scare you, right?”

 

Georgiana blushed and glanced at her feet. “I do now.”

 

Hesitantly, Loki reached out and touched his fingers lightly beneath her chin. The gesture sent another quivering feeling through her, and for a second she thought her knees might buckle. Slowly, she brought her face up to meet his eyes, gazing up into his soft expression, and feeling her heart begin to race in a way it never had before.

 

She smiled, and then her eyes briefly flickered away to gaze somewhere past him.

 

And she froze.

 

If she had looked a few minutes earlier, she probably wouldn’t have noticed it, but there it was now, scuttling across the polished floor as if it owned the place. She stiffened, unable to tear her eyes away from it, and then as it moved forwards, she quickly flinched away from Loki was a panicked gasp and stumbled against the bookshelf behind her.

 

“What-?” Loki spun around, trying to work out what had got her in such a panic, and then he too spotted the spider. It wasn’t that big, at least not as big as some of the ones you _could_ get in Asgard, but it was sizeable enough to make anyone jump if they were scared of spiders, and Georgiana clearly was.

 

Calmly, he stepped over and scoped the small, brown thing up. It tensed in his hand but didn’t move as he walked over to the window, pushed it open and then tossed the spider out into the grounds. Brushing his hands down on his tunic, he turned to Georgiana. She was visibly shaking.

 

“It’s alright.” Loki walked up to her and hugged her, feeling her shivering against him. “It’s gone now.”

 

Georgiana frowned into his shoulder. “You got rid of it.”

 

The way she said it sounded like a question and it was Loki’s turn to look confused.

 

“Of course I did,” he confirmed, stroking her hair gently.

 

“Why?”

 

Loki felt even more confused. “Because you were scared.”

 

Georgiana flopped against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “No one ever got rid of them for me before. They used to get into my room a lot back in Althrop, especially when it rained, but no one ever got rid of them. They just said I had to live with them.”

 

His hold on her tightened. “That’s because you were living with sadistic people before, Georgiana.”

 

She shuddered again. “One crawled on me once. I suppose it was because I was on the floor. It woke me up. I was terrified. I was screaming so much that-”

 

“You slept on the floor?” Loki repeated, holding her at arms’ length.

 

Georgiana blinked at him, surprised by his sudden change in demeanour. “Y-yes, I had a mattress on the floor.”

 

“Your Uncle made you sleep on the floor?”

 

“Y-yes.”

 

The way he was looking at her startled her, and she quickly looked away from him, wondering whether she could pull out of his grip. He was holding her arms rather firmly. Then, she felt him relax his grip and he lifted her chin again with a murmur of “Georgiana, look at me.” Her eyes met his. “I’m not angry with you.”

 

“I know,” she whispered.

 

Letting go of her, Loki smiled, his expression gentle now. “Come on,” he said, softly, guiding her to the couches. “Sit down.”

 

Georgiana did so, her hands still trembling slightly. Loki sat down beside her, covering her hands with his. It was soothing, and she still felt warm from where his arm had been around her waist when he had led her to her seat. It was a protective gesture, she realised, and the thought comforted her.

 

She looked up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered, her mouth suddenly dry. She swallowed to clear it and added “Thank you for getting rid of it.”

 

Loki reached up and cupped her cheek, gently. “That’s what you do when someone’s scared,” he told her. “What you’re supposed to do, anyway; do all you can to make them feel better.”

 

He understood, Georgiana realised, he understood fear, and he understood her, even though he hadn’t known her that long. But it was because he was taking the time to try. He was patient with her, learning the way her mind worked, and never laughing or making her feel like a fool about things like this.

 

“What are _you_ scared of?” she whispered.

 

Loki glanced about the room, as if to check that no one else was around, and then leaned forwards to whisper in her ear. “Thunderstorms.” Then, pulling away from her, he added with a smile, “But don’t tell Thor, for Valhala’s sake, otherwise he’ll start calling them up just to frighten me on purpose.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “I won’t tell him.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“I promise.”

 

Loki lifted her hand and kissed it, fixing her with a smile. “Now, what do you say we start on the book?”


	12. "A Beautiful Time"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

When Loki walked into the Throne Room, tired and longing for his bed, the first thing Odin said to him was “Ah, Loki, I take it things are going well with Georgiana, then?”

 

Loki shot his brother a look. “You told them."

 

Thor threw up his hands in self-defence and pointed to their Mother. “She figured it out for herself!”

 

Loki sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers.

 

Frigga got to her feet and walked over to him. “Loki, you falling in love with Georgiana’s hardly a bad thing.”

 

“I know, but is nothing secret in this palace?” Loki muttered, shaking his head.

 

“You should know by now it isn’t,” Thor grinned at him. “Besides, it’s obvious. I think the only person who hasn’t worked it out yet is Georgiana.”

 

Half-heartedly, Loki tossed a cushion at him, which Thor immediately sent swinging back with his hammer, Loki just managing to catch it before it could knock the fruit bowl off the table and send it clattering to the floor.

 

“Boys!” Frigga reprimanded.

 

“Don’t go making too much noise,” Loki said to Thor, throwing the cushion at him again. “She needs her sleep.”

 

“You see?” Thor picked up the cushion and tossed it onto the nearest chair. “This is what I’m talking about.”

 

“Alright, you two,” Odin cut in. Some days he didn’t think his sons had entirely grown up the way they ought to have by now. He turned to Loki. “Has she told you anything new?”

 

Loki nodded and folded his arms. “The Duke used to make her sleep on the floor.”

 

“On the floor?” Frigga repeated, sounding appalled.

 

Loki nodded again. Inside he was seething about it, but he made no show of it outwardly, although his family knew him well enough by now that to them it was obvious that he wasn’t happy about this. “On a straw mattress, not a proper bed.”

 

Odin clenched Gungnir a little tighter, which surprised Loki. He hadn’t been lying when he had told Georgiana that his Father wasn’t one for losing his temper that much. He sighed. “We can’t cut ties with the Duke; legally he holds Althrop. If we lose our bond with them, we’ll be left without allies in times of battle.”

 

“I thought that was the point of me marrying Georgiana,” Loki frowned.

 

Odin smiled at him. “By their laws, she would belong to Asgard when that happens. If her Uncle weren’t alive, she would hold Althrop’s power, when she comes of age, that is.”

 

Loki felt like kicking something, but restrained himself from losing his temper with the Duke any further today. “What can we do, then? I don’t want him near her.”

 

“But we can’t stop him having any contact with her,” Thor pointed out. “He’s her legal guardian, and a blood relation. It would be easier if he wasn’t, but he is.”

 

“Mm,” Odin mused. “Therein lies the problem.”

 

Loki felt a hand touch his shoulder and he looked up to see Frigga smiling at him. “He’s not her only family,” she reminded him, gently. “She has you.”

 

He managed to return her smile.

 

The matter wasn’t resolved that night, and to be perfectly honest, Loki couldn’t see how it ever could be. After the wedding, he didn’t want Georgiana to have to have anything to do with the Duke ever again, but Thor was right; being her family, he had the right to have access to her, and whilst he was sure that the man wouldn’t hurt Georgiana once she was no longer his responsibility, his constant presence in her life would only serve to damage her all the more.

 

It felt like a vicious circle rearing its ugly head at them at every turn.

 

“Where are we going?” Georgiana asked the next day when he told her that she’d need her new outdoor boots and her riding dress.

 

Loki smiled at her. “Somewhere special.”

 

She frowned. “Just us?”

 

“Just us,” Loki confirmed.

 

Surprised by the mysteriousness of it all, Georgiana did as she was asked and followed him out of the room. Loki fell into step beside her and together they walked out to the stables, where they found Gyllir and Léttfeti already saddled and waiting for them, being held by one of the stable lads.

 

“I put everything in the saddlebags, like you said, Your Highness,” he said to Loki as they approached.

 

“Thank you, Colborn,” Loki replied, hoisting himself onto Gyllir’s back.

 

“Everything?” Georgiana repeated, mystified.

 

Loki just smiled at her. “You’ll see.”

 

A sudden chill went through Georgiana as she was helped onto Léttfeti’s back, although she didn’t know why. But suddenly the prospect of not knowing what was going on was somewhat scary. Curiousity won her over, however, and instead of protesting that she didn’t think she was going to like this very much, she nodded and tugged on Léttfeti’s reins, urging her out of the courtyard. Loki did the same and took the lead as they left the confines of the palace behind for the wide open country beyond.

 

They rode for miles, over lush grassland and rugged plains surrounded by rocks and then across hardened ground littered with pebbles and dust. Soon Georgiana realised that they were miles and miles away from the palace and that she had forgotten the way back.

 

“Is it much further?” she asked, trying to sound casual, but Loki sensed the slightly nervous hint in her voice and he slowed Gyllir, coming closer alongside her.

 

“Not much,” he replied, softly. “Don’t worry, you’re going to like it.”

 

Georgiana looked doubtful but nodded.

 

Soon, much sooner than she had anticipated, they came in sight of a twist of trees in a sort of border formation, which looked somewhat foreboding, but when Loki directed Gyllir towards them, Georgiana did the same with Léttfeti without a second thought. Amidst the trees was an oval opening of stones, like a wide archway, and it was through this that she followed Loki and then let out a gasp at seeing what was on the other side.

 

It had been magically hidden from view before, only those who ventured through the archway could see the beauty that lay beyond it. They were standing inside a vast circular ruin, what she could only assume had once been a tower of some kind, with arch windows letting the light flood in from outside. Ivy sprang up the walls and nestled in the window frames, giving the sunlight a slightly green tinge to it. To their left was an arched doorway that showed a view that took her breath away.

 

Outside all was green, at least that was how it looked at first glance. Beyond the doorway, jutting up from the ground miles away was an enormous hill, the tip of which looked to touch the sky, which in its turn was filled with a halo of green lights, rippling and setting the landscape alight in green. The river, the grass, everything looked like it was covered in emeralds.

 

It was amazing.

 

“Loki, this is...” Georgiana trailed off, unable to find the words, and finally she settled on, “Just so beautiful.”

 

“I told you you’d like it,” Loki replied, trying not to sound too smug as he said it. Together they rode from the ruined tower and to the edge of the cliff that overlooked the river. From where they were, Georgiana could see waterfalls flooding into the river in vast rushes. It was all so calm, so tranquil, like it had been preserved in time, presumably by magic, without interference from man.

 

Loki slowed Gyllir and leapt from his back, tying his reins to a nearby tree before turning to Georgiana. She looked at him in surprise as he held up his arms, and then realised that he was offering to help her down. Unsteadily, she swung one leg across the saddle and placed her hands on his shoulders. A sudden tingle went through her as his hands touched her waist and he dropped her on her feet as if she weighed nothing at all. With a blush, she smiled, gratefully. “Thank you.”

 

“My pleasure,” Loki replied, taking Léttfeti’s reins and tying them to Gyllir’s before pulling something out of one of his saddlebags. “Here, can you...?” He held out the wrapped bundle to her, and Georgiana took it, noting that it was lumpy, soft in places, hard in others, and then she cottoned on as Loki pulled a blanket from the saddlebags too.

 

“We’re eating outside?” she guessed.

 

Loki turned to her and smiled. “Surprised?”

 

“Very,” Georgiana replied, feeling a thrill of excitement.

 

“I discovered this place by accident a few years ago,” Loki told her, tucking the blanket under one arm. “As far as I know, no one else knows about it, or if they do they don’t come here.”

 

He led the way along a small pathway that Georgiana hadn’t noticed before, and she suddenly felt a rush of doubt. They were alone together in a place that no one else knew about...was there perhaps another reason he had brought her here?

 

Presently, Loki put down the blanket, spreading it out along the grass, and took the parcel of food from her, setting it down too. Uncertainly, Georgiana fingered her sleeves, feeling a bit vulnerable now that she wasn’t holding onto anything. Loki glanced up at her and frowned.

 

“Georgiana, what’s wrong?”

 

She quickly looked away from him. “Nothing.”

 

Loki stepped up to her and laid his hands on her arms. “Tell me.”

 

Georgiana looked up into his concerned expression, and it gave her confidence. A little too much confidence, perhaps, because suddenly her words came out in a great rush, although Loki was still able to make them out.

 

“You didn’t just bring me here so we could..?”

 

She didn’t know how to say it. How did you say it?

 

“So, we could..?”

 

Loki’s frown deepened. “What?”

 

Georgiana took a deep breath and then said in a shaky voice “Copulate.”

 

Loki stared at her. “What? No!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Georgiana stammered, quickly, feeling like a complete idiot, “It’s just that I’ve heard stories about people-”

 

“Georgiana, I would never do that to you,” Loki cut across her. His eyes, his tone, both were honest, and she relaxed against his grip. He sighed and dropped his hands. “I wish you could trust me.”

 

She instantly felt bad for even thinking he might do such a thing, when he had been nothing but good to her. She had panicked, she reasoned, and when you panick, your mind thinks all sorts of things. Nevertheless, the way he was looking at her now, he looked genuinely saddened that she didn’t trust him, and it made her feel awful.

 

“I _want_ to,” she insisted, reaching for his arms, her fingers gripping his sleeved to keep him near her. “I do, it’s just that-”

 

“I know,” Loki interrupted, gently. “You’ve been hurt before, I understand.”

 

That made her feel worse, and she concentrated her gaze on one of the trailing stitches of gold thread on his tunic. “I’m sorry.” Her voice came out slightly choked. “I believe you.”

 

She felt him move his arms, a quick motion that shook her fingers off and she felt tears prick her eyes. But then he folded them around her and she instantly hugged back, her fingers gripping the back of his tunic firmly.

 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

 

“It’s alright,” Loki murmured, his tone soothing as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. They stood like that for a moment, just holding one another, and then he rubbed her back, gently. “Come on, let’s inspect that food parcel.”

 

Georgiana glanced up at him in surprise. “You didn’t prepare it?”

 

“The picnic was my Mother’s idea, it was my idea to come here,” Loki explained, finding her hand and leading her to the blanket. “She had the servants make up a parcel.”

 

Georgiana smiled and tightened her grip in his hand, subtly, but he felt it and it made him smile back at her. They sat, overlooking the waterfalls, and discovered a variety of wonderments in the food parcel, food they both loved along with two bottles of mead.

 

She frowned. “We don’t have anything to pour it in.”

 

“Then we’ll just have to drink it from the bottles,” Loki returned with a smile. Georgiana giggled, uncertainly. “Georgiana, it’s just us out here. I told you before, I don’t expect you to be graceful and ladylike all the time. You’d be very boring if that happened.”

 

The compliment caused her to blush again. “You think I’m...not boring?”

 

“I know it,” Loki replied.

 

Raising her head, Georgiana looked up at the sky. “What makes it that colour?”

 

“Magic,” Loki replied, following her gaze. “Though legend has it that it all began many years ago when two light elves from opposing families fell in love with one another, even though it was against their parents’ wishes. But together they were able to combine their effects of light magic and unite their families, and this is it.” He gestured to the lights. “This is the result.”

 

“That’s so beautiful,” Georgiana whispered, and then turned to him. “They fell in love even though their families didn’t get along?”

 

“It happens,” Loki replied, giving her a mischievous look, and this time she giggled without uncertainty.

 

After a brief hesitation, Georgiana added, thoughtfully, “That would explain why it’s so beautiful. Love’s supposed to be, isn’t it?”

 

Loki lay back on the blanket, looking up at the sky. “In my experience, it’s also deeply complicated.” Georgiana looked over at him and he added “From what I’ve read, and seen, anyway.”

 

She smiled, suddenly not feeling nervous anymore. “It must be worth it, though.”

 

He met her gaze and sat up, with a smile. “I think it is.”

 

As they ate their picnic, Georgiana suddenly realised for the first time that she truly didn’t need to be nervous or embarrassed around Loki. He wanted her to be herself, and if _herself_ was truly as clumsy as her Uncle had always made out, then so be it; Loki wanted her that way.

 

For the first time in forever, she finally felt free.

 

After they had eaten, she shyly asked if they could get up that hill, to which Loki replied that it was probably too steep to climb, but they could certainly walk up to it together, and they did so, hand in hand. Georgiana felt herself walking with more of a spring in her step as they want, and Loki noticed it too, although he didn’t comment on it. They walked all around the base of the hill and found themselves able to walk down the slope on the other side towards the water’s edge.

 

Georgiana gasped as the green water lapped over her toes. “It’s cold! It looks like it should be warm!”

 

Loki just laughed at her, and, feeling both bold and rather indignant, she brought up her foot and splashed him, with a little more vigor than she had been intending. Loki found himself instantly cut off as water splashed his tunic and face, and he shot her an indignant look of his own. Georgiana began to laugh. “Right!” Loki exclaimed, a mischievous grin appearing on his face as he stepped towards her. “Your turn!”

 

“No!” Georgiana squealed as she began to run along the edge of the shallows, boots in one hand. “You’ll have to catch me first!”

 

Loki laughed and ran after her, wondering what had come over her when she had seemed so nervous and shy before. Whatever it was, he decided he liked it. They ran all along the edge of the water until they reached the point where the waterfalls spilled in and Georgiana began to run as fast as she could manage up the slope. Loki darted after her, only catching up to her as they reached the blanket, tackling her by throwing his arms around her waist and lifting her off her feet. Georgiana squealed with laughter as she dropped her boots and exclaimed “Alright, you caught me, but you were much too slow!”

 

“Too slow?” Loki set her back down and spun her around to face him. “I’ll have you know I’m a lot faster than Thor.”

 

Georgiana giggled, weakly, and then flopped down onto the blanket, curling her legs up beneath her like a mermaid sitting on its tail as she caught her breath. Loki sat down half next to her, half behind her, with his legs apart.

 

“I wish we could stay here,” Georgiana said, softly, gazing over the water. “Forever.”

 

Loki moved closer to her, and then, to his surprise, she moved so that she was sitting in between his legs and wrapped her arms around his right one, resting her cheek against his knee. Slowly, Loki brought his other leg closer to her and wrapped one arm around her waist whilst his other hand came up and stroked her hair.

 

“How do you do that?” she murmured, closing her eyes. “How do you know what I like, when you touch me?”

 

Loki shrugged. “Lucky guesses.”

 

“Very lucky,” Georgiana agreed, tightening her grip slightly.

 

This, she decided, had to be the most beautiful moment of her life, just her and Loki sitting here, talking, touching, and watching these lights together in the most quiet, most secret place in the whole of the Nine Realms.

 

“I wish this could last forever,” she murmured.

 

Loki smiled. “We can come back, you know. Whenever you want.”

 

She raised her head and smiled at him. “I’d like that.”

 

Perhaps she didn’t trust him just yet, Loki reflected, but she was certainly beginning to gain more confidence being around him. And sitting here, like this, with her, felt like the most wonderful thing in the realm at that point.

 

 _I love you,_ he thought, realising that he couldn’t wait for the day when he could finally tell her so. _I truly love you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Through the Archway: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/4b/a0/58/4ba0580a431081a9f207edaaf0a517e2.jpg
> 
> The Land: http://www.tentree.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Mountain-kirkjufell.jpg


	13. "This Is The Last Night You'll Spend Alone"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

“She’s getting braver,” Loki finished.

 

It was long past midnight, but neither he nor Thor were asleep, instead lying back on Thor’s bed, top to tail, staring at the ceiling, and Loki had just finished filling his brother in on the events of the day. Thor had been quiet the entire time, listening, which surprised Loki, since it wasn’t like his older brother to miss an opportunity to interrupt him, just to get under his skin, but then, he reflected, this was a serious matter that concerned all of them and Thor had probably taken that into consideration; hence he hadn’t said a word throughout Loki’s monologue.

 

He was quiet a few minutes more before saying “I suppose she’s finally becoming more confident being around you so much.”

 

“I hope so.” Loki ran a hand through his hair. “I mean, I like to think she is, but then, earlier, you know, when she thought that I was going to...” He shuddered. “You know.”

 

“Well, can you blame her?” Thor asked. “After the way she’s been treated, she probably gets paranoid about being alone with someone.”

 

“I know,” Loki agreed, with a sigh. “I just wish she could trust me.”

 

Thor gave him a nudge with his foot. “She will. Give her time. After all, she’s still getting used to all this, but she’ll soon learn that there are people here who actually care about her.”

 

“When did you turn into Father?” Loki quipped with a smile, and they both laughed. “You did sound like him just then,” Loki added, sobering up.

 

“Better than sounding like Mother,” Thor shot back, and Loki gave him an indignant kick in the ribs. “Ow! Are you sure Georgiana knows you’re not violent?”

 

Loki didn’t laugh. “I worry sometimes...my temper scares her.” Thor frowned, raising his head and his brother elaborated. “When she tells me about what was done to her...I just get so angry and I think it scares her.”

 

“It’s not like you’re getting angry with _her,”_ Thor pointed out.

 

“I know, but...”

 

Loki didn’t know how to finish that sentence.

 

Thor pushed himself up on his elbows. “Come on, it’s not like you’ve ever hurt her or anything.”

 

“I almost crushed her hand once,” Loki reminded him.

 

“Yes, but she knows you didn’t mean it,” Thor pointed out.

 

Loki sighed and fixed his gaze on the ceiling. “It hurts a bit, you know; being in love and not being able to tell her.”

 

“What do you think would happen if you did?” Thor asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Loki answered, honestly. “I don’t know what she’ll think.”

 

Thor nudged him again. “I’m sure she at least likes you.”

 

Loki managed a smile. “She says she likes being with me.”

 

“There you go.” Thor made a gesture with his hand. “Now get off my bed, I want to sleep.”

 

“Aw, are we not going to share anymore?” Loki teased. “What if you can’t sleep on your own?”

 

“I’ll find a chambermaid,” Thor responded, with a grin, swatting at him. “Now get off.”

 

Loki laughed and did as he was told. That was the one thing about Thor, he reflected, he could usually make him feel better on a bad day.

 

Trying, and failing, to stifle a yawn, the events of the day finally catching up with him, he made his way to bed; only to be woken an hour or so later by someone crying out. With a frown, he sat up, trying to make sense of what was happening in his still-half-asleep state, and trying to place who it was shouting out.

 

“No! No, please! Please, no!”

 

His eyes widened. Georgiana.

 

Throwing the blankets to one side, he hurried out of his own room and practically burst into hers. His eyes were still adjusting to the darkness around them, but he could just make her out, thrashing about wildly in bed as if she were on fire.

 

“No, not the needles! Please! No!”

 

Loki quickly clambered onto the bed beside her, ducking to avoid being hit by a thrashing limb as he caught hold of her. Georgiana shrieked and struggled, but he held her firmly. “Georgiana! Georgiana, wake up!”

 

Somehow his words got through to her and she suddenly froze, stiffening as she opened her eyes with a gasp and glanced around the room, or rather what she could see of it in the darkness. Then, as she slowly began to recognise things around her, she became dimly aware of someone holding onto her and she blinked up at his outline.

 

“Loki?” she stammered.

 

Loki nodded, gently. “You were having a nightmare.”

 

Georgiana immediately flung herself against him and began to sob. Loki wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, resting his cheek against the top of her head as he rubbed her back and stroked her hair gently, murmuring softly to her “It’s alright, you’re safe, no one can hurt you.”

 

Light suddenly flooded the room and he glanced up to see that someone had lit all the candles in the room. A second later, Frigga came drifting in, dressed in her sleep gown and looking regal but concerned. Odin was right behind her, also dressed for bed, and carrying Gungnir. Loki supposed that he had heard the shouting and assumed the worst, just as he had.

 

“Is everything alright?” Frigga asked.

 

Loki nodded. “Nightmare,” he informed her.

 

“Oh, you poor thing,” Frigga cooed, seating herself beside them as Odin let out a sigh of clear relief. Georgiana stayed where she was, heaving great sobs in Loki’s arms, as Frigga sat down beside her and rubbed her shoulder, gently. Loki met her anxious look and offered her a shrug that said he had no idea what she had been dreaming about to terrify her like this. He could feel her shaking, and not just with crying.

 

“What’s going on?” Thor had just padded into the room, and Loki had to bite back a laugh at his brother’s dishevelled appearance. He looked like a disturbed rabbit that had just woken up.

 

With a small sniffle, Georgiana pulled away from Loki and mopped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake everyone.”

 

“It’s alright, Georgiana, we’d rather know something was wrong than not,” Odin replied, gently, bustling out to collar a servant.

 

Thor blinked, blearily, at Loki. “What’ve I missed?”

 

“Nothing that concerns you,” Loki answered, lightly. “Go back to bed.”

 

Thor made a face. “If something’s happening, I want to know.” Then, he glanced at Georgiana and added softly “You alright?”

 

Georgiana rubbed her eyes again and ducked her head. “Just a bad dream,” she said in a tiny voice. “I’m fine.”

 

Loki found a handkerchief and pressed it into her hand. She squeezed his hand back, gratefully, and wiped her eyes.

 

“Here.” Odin was back, holding a steaming cup of something that smelled sweet and delicious, and he held it out to her. “Drink this.”

 

Georgiana looked at the steaming brown liquid and tried to pull herself together. “What is it?”

 

 _“Sjokolade,_ it’ll help,” Odin replied, gently.

 

Georgiana took the cup and sipped, tentatively, at it. The rich, warm drink immediately filled her with a calming sensation, and she felt a bit better about the whole thing.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured, suddenly shy at all the attention she was getting. Loki, cottoning on, quickly shot Thor a meaningful look. Thor understood at once.

 

“Well,” he said, with a yawn, “if anyone’s interested, I’m going back to bed. Goodnight.”

 

Georgiana managed a nervous giggle.

 

Frigga patted her arm. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, gently. “Would that help?”

 

Georgiana shook her head. “No. Thank you.”

 

Frigga nodded, understandingly, and got to her feet. “Try and get some sleep,” she advised, drifting to the door. Odin nodded, a goodnight gesture, to both of them and turned to leave. Loki made to get up but found himself restrained as Georgiana suddenly grabbed his hand. Turning, he met her slightly anxious look, her eyes wide and slightly wild again, even though her face was calm.

 

“Stay with me?” she asked, causing both Odin and Frigga to turn around in surprise. “Please?”

 

When she was fixing him with such an appealing look, how could he refuse?

 

“Of course I will,” Loki replied, squeezing her hand back.

 

Frigga smiled and nodded. “Goodnight,” she said, only smiling a little more when neither of them responded. Loki sat back down and waited until Georgiana had finished her drink before he pulled her back against him and held her. Georgiana flopped against him, wrapping her arms around him and closed her eyes, just enjoying the feel of him being so close to her. Then a vision of what she had just been dreaming about flashed before her eyes and she opened them again, trying to pull herself together.

 

Loki sensed her distress, however, and ran a hand soothingly through her hair. “It’s alright,” he murmured again, automatically.

 

Nodding, Georgiana pulled away from him and rubbed her eyes, out of tiredness this time. Loki helped her back beneath the covers, tucking her in and shooting her an apologetic smile in the process.

 

“Sorry,” he apologised, “I suppose after seeing you fall off Léttfeti that time, I’m being overly protective.”

 

Georgiana smiled and then frowned as he moved away from the bed. “Where are you going to sleep?” she asked.

 

“Well...” Loki indicated one of the chairs. Georgiana, however, tugged at the covers until she had exposed a patch of the bed and looked at him expectantly. Loki didn’t need to ask what she was thinking. “Are you sure?” he asked.

 

She nodded.

 

Without any further encouragement, Loki slid in beside her and tucked the covers around both of them. He half expected her to shy away from such close contact, but she seemed more perturbed by the concept of actually going back to sleep again, glancing nervously about as she made herself comfortable.

 

Whatever she had been dreaming about, it had really terrified her, Loki realised.

 

“I’ll tell you what,” he said, causing her to look up at him again, “why don’t I do this?” And he slipped an arm around her waist, sending a rush of something, she didn’t know what, through her. “That way you’ll know that nothing can hurt you, because I won’t let it near you.”

 

Georgiana nodded and shifted slightly closer to him. “Thank you,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

 

Loki fell asleep quite quickly, but was woken a few hours later, although he didn’t know why, jolted out of a dream, he supposed, and as he glanced down at Georgiana, he found that she was still deeply asleep, but she had moved closer to him still, not quite cuddled up to him but there could only have been a hair’s width between their bodies. She looked so peaceful and content beside him, as if this was the way it had always been meant to be between them, and he felt a rush of deep affection for her stir within him.

 

Unable to resist, he wrapped his arm more securely about her and pressed his lips to her forehead.

 

“I love you,” he whispered, knowing that she was too fast asleep to hear him, but that didn’t matter, sometimes actions alone spoke louder than words. Besides, he just needed to say it, just needed to, because it was threatening to burst from him like sunlight over the horizon. Comforted by the fact she had been able to get back to sleep again, Loki rested his head against the pillow, closed his eyes and followed her into the dark abyss of slumber.

 

Georgiana was woken by the sunlight turning her curtains a lighter shade than they actually were. Looking up, she realised that Loki still had his arm around her waist and was still sleeping silently. For a second, she felt confused and then she remembered why she had wanted him to stay with her all night.

 

She shuddered. The nightmare was one that frequently haunted her, although she hadn’t had it since arriving in Asgard, and had been surprised that it had suddenly popped up again in her dreams. She supposed that it might have had something to do with her suddenly feeling so peaceful and content the day before, being so confident with Loki nearby, almost happy, she supposed, not that she really knew what happiness felt like, and it had suddenly come as a reminder that she didn’t deserve any of this.

 

Which was strange, because Loki kept telling her that she did.

 

Thoughtfully, she shifted even closer to him until her head was resting against his chest, and wrapped her arms around him. He was so kind to her, so gentle and patient, always making sure she had everything she needed, giving her beautiful gifts that she had never imaged she could ever be worthy of, getting rid of things that terrified her, listening to her, actually _wanting_ to spend time with her. She couldn’t place what it was she felt for him, how he made her feel, but she knew that she definitely liked it more when he was around than not. Things just felt...better that way.

 

What would they do today, she wondered; would they go somewhere? Would they stay in the palace? Would Thor and his friends join them? She didn’t really care, she found, as long as Loki was with her.

 

Closing her eyes, she pressed closer to him, letting his familiar scent envelope her senses. It felt like comfort and she sighed, contentedly.

 

“Good morning,” Loki murmured.

 

Georgiana stiffened and then pulled back to look up at him. He offered her a smile and she stammered “Good morning. How long have you been awake?”

 

“I’m a very light sleeper,” Loki replied, stretching out the arm that was around her, but she noticed that he didn’t retract it. “I woke the second I felt you hug me.”

 

“Oh.” Embarrassed, Georgiana ducked her head. “Sorry.”

 

“That’s alright,” Loki replied. “How did you sleep?”

 

“I didn’t have any more nightmares,” Georgiana replied, meeting his eyes.

 

Loki lowered his face so that their eyes were level, searching hers intently. “You were shouting out in your sleep, you know.”

 

“Oh?”

 

Loki knew he had to be careful, he didn’t want to pressure her into talking about something that had disturbed her so deeply. “You said something about...needles.”

 

Georgiana shuddered and looked away from him. “Just...just something that...”

 

Her voice broke off, thickening with congealed tears.

 

“Something your Uncle used to do to you?” Loki finished.

 

She nodded and took a shaking breath, trying not to cry. “When...when I was particularly clumsy, he sometimes...he...”

 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Loki murmured.

 

“You should know.” Georgiana looked up at him, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with tears. “He had these...these glass things with needles in the ends of them...and he’d put stuff in them, horrible liquid stuff, and it hurt...Loki it hurt so much...”

 

She brought her hands to her eyes, covering her face.

 

Loki’s eyes widened in shock. “He used to inject things _into_ you?”

 

She nodded. “I don’t know what it was, but it burned under my skin, it itched. I used to scratch myself until I bled, just to try and get it out of me...”

 

Loki was both horrified and angry; how could anyone do such a thing to his Georgiana? He quickly wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close to him, protectively. “No one is ever going to do anything like that to you ever again, Georgiana.”

 

“I know,” Georgiana replied, with a small sniff.

 

If Loki had to spend every single night for the rest of their lives sleeping beside her to ward off the nightmares, he would do, he vowed there and then. He would never abandon her to such horrors ever again.


	14. "I Want To See You Be Brave"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

It became routine.

 

Georgiana noticed it about two days later, the pattern that they seemed to have fallen into. Each time it made her blush and sent a warm feeling right through her body. She had assumed, at first, that it was a one-off, just a comforting gesture after her first night of terror in Asgard, but no, for it seemed now every time Loki left her, even if it were only for a minute, he would cup the back of her head, fingers weaving deftly through her hair, and kiss her forehead, gently.

 

It had started just after she had told him about the needles, after he had hugged her and she had cried perhaps enough tears to fill a lake, at least that was what it felt like, and she had pulled away to wipe her eyes and that was when it had happened. Loki had leaned down and kissed her forehead, and she had blinked at him, and he had asked softly if she was alright now. She had nodded, and that had been that, or so she had assumed.

 

But now, well, now it seemed that at every opportunity, at least whenever they had to be parted, he would do that, just kiss her forehead and murmur something like “I’ll be right back,” before departing, and she would be left feeling...what? Consoled? No, that wasn’t right. Comforted? No, that wasn’t right either.

 

Wanted?

 

Wanted, yes, that was the one; as if suddenly she mattered.

 

Other people had noticed it too, she knew, well, it wasn’t like it was subtle gesture, and that always made her blush even more. She had looked up once to catch Thor smiling knowingly at her and it had filled her with, what? Embarrassment? Pride? Something along one of those two lines.

 

She didn’t say anything, of course, because, well, she liked it, that was all there was to it. The thought of anyone touching her in any way before she had come to Asgard had always terrified her; the Duke and Bess could be like that, soft little touches that instantly turned violent before she could blink. She remembered one incident in question when Bess had come to her room, just after she had scalded her hand, and taken her gently by the chin, quelling her stuttering into silence, and muttered softly to her “Now, that was very careless, wasn’t it? And it hurt didn’t it? Well, we’re not going to do anything like that again, now are we, Georgiana?” She had nodded to each question and dared hope that just for a minute someone might care about her after all. And then Bess had struck her across the face and snapped “There’ll be worse than that if you ever make a mess like that again in my house!”

 

Georgiana hadn’t dared argue that Bess didn’t own the house just because she had moved in, fearing what she would do if she did. After that, she had feared and been suspicious of gentle touches just as much as she had of violent ones.

 

But Loki...

 

The more time she spent with him, the more she felt that he had been telling the truth when he had told her that he didn’t want to hurt her. Because he didn’t, no matter how clumsy she was. She remembered how he had been when she had been thrown from Léttfeti, and how Sif had later commented she hadn’t seen him look so worried before. In her heart, she was beginning to understand that Loki wasn’t acting that way purely because he didn’t want anything to ruin the woman he was going to marry; he genuinely cared about her.

 

It was strange, knowing that for the first time in her life, someone actually did, and it sent a rush of something comforting through her each time she remembered it, sending her heart into cartwheeling inside her chest at the thought.

 

“Loki?”

 

Loki looked up and noticed Thor had come into the library. He and Georgiana were both seated opposite one another on the couch with its back to the window, heads buried in their books. Georgiana had finished The Scarlet Veil, finding it to be a very enjoyable story, and was now reading another of Loki’s recommendations, A Box of Sapphire Blue, which so far she was enjoying very much. Neither of them had heard Thor knocking, if he had been knocking, and they were both surprised since Thor rarely entered the library unless it was necessary to do so.

 

“What?” Loki asked, lowering his book.

 

“Father wants us in the Throne Room, he says it’s urgent,” Thor replied, jerking his head in the direction of the library door.

 

Loki sighed, but closed his book and got to his feet anyway.

 

“I’ll be right back,” he murmured to Georgiana’s curious expression, before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

 

Georgiana nodded with a smile, and watched them leave before going back to her book. It was a warm day and the window was open, the thin curtains breezing in behind her, but she was too distracted by her book to think about the consequences of an open window. She had just reached the exciting part where the eager young girl had just joined the mysterious healer-man on a journey beyond her wildest dreams, thanks to the sapphire-blue box, when she felt something tickle the back of her neck.

 

Instinctively, she swatted at it, thinking it was only an insect left in through the open window and would fly off the second she hit it.

 

But she was wrong.

 

She let out a yelp as suddenly something struck her in the crook where her neck met her shoulder, two pinpricks, quick and sharp, and painful, and leapt up from the couch, rubbing the spot. Turning, she bit back a scream seeing the spider crawling over the back of the couch. It was much bigger than the last one she had seen in here, brown with a red stripe running down its back and red patches around its feet. With a small whimper, she quickly leapt up onto the opposite couch as it scuttled down the arm of the one she had just been sitting on and sat in the middle of the floor, not moving.

 

Her breathe caught in her throat. She felt like it was staring right at her, knowing that she was afraid, wondering how else it could torment her.

 

“Please go away,” she whispered, her mouth dry, and she suddenly wished Loki or even Thor were still in the room. Thor could probably throw it out of the window with that great hammer of his, she noted.

 

It moved and she squeaked, preparing to jump off the couch and onto the table if it came anywhere near her. Never before had she felt so afraid by one, but then she had never seen a spider this big before either. Nor had one ever actually hurt her.

 

She touched the spot on her neck again, wincing as she touched it. It felt sore, and slightly swollen, like her ankle that time when she had broken it. She backed up on the couch a little as it crept forwards again, bracing herself to bolt from the library as soon as her legs had stopped shaking, and then she heard the door open behind her. She turned her head to see Loki looking like he had been about to say something before he had noticed that she was standing up on the couch. Wordlessly, she pointed to the spider.

 

Loki paled, slightly, seeing the size of the thing, and then with a sudden gesture, sent an extremely heavy book clattering down from the top of the bookshelf beside it, which landed on top of the spider with a dull splat.

 

Georgiana let out the breath she had been holding in a relieved sigh.

 

“Are you alright?” Loki asked, reaching up to help her down.

 

She nodded, shakily. “How come you killed it? I thought you’d just throw it out of the window like last time.”

 

“I would have, but I’m fairly sure that one’s dangerous,” Loki replied, grimacing as he bent down to pick up the book. Georgiana averted her eyes. Straightening up, Loki sent the now dead spider out of the window and put back the book, before pulling another off the shelf and flicking thoughtfully through it. He nodded. “Yes, I was right. Redfoot Spider, bite potentially fatal unless antidote is administrated within one hour.”

 

Georgiana looked up at once. “Fatal?”

 

“Symptoms include dizziness, shaking, partial paralysis, shortness of breath, dehydration, hallucinating, fever and then eventually death,” Loki read from the book.

 

Georgiana began to shiver. “What-what would it feel like if one bit you?”

 

“Well, I don’t know, I’ve never actually been-” Loki cut himself off and looked sharply at her. “Georgiana, did it bite you?”

 

“I think so,” Georgiana whispered, suddenly frightened, and she lifted her hair, turning to show him.

 

Loki dropped the book at once. “We need to get you to the Healing Room. Now.” Georgiana nodded. He took note of the fact she was shaking. “Can you walk, do you think?”

 

“I don’t know,” Georgiana whispered. Already her legs were beginning to feel numb. “I don’t think so.”

 

“Put your arms around me,” Loki commanded, bending down to scoop her up in his arms. Georgiana didn’t hesitate, she did what he asked unquestioningly and obediently, burying her head into his shoulder. Her breathing was coming in short, panicked pants, almost like sobs. “I am _not_ going to lose you,” Loki muttered, and began to run from the library, cursing whoever had designed the palace for building it so far away from the Healing Room.

 

He reached it after what felt like a lifetime.

 

Eir looked up at them in surprise, but before she could even speak, Loki had explained “Redfoot bite.”

 

“Oh, my goodness!” exclaimed a healer who was busy putting away vital equipment.

 

Eir, however, remained calm as she said quickly to Loki “Put her down here,” and instructed her fellows to bring out what equipment and elixirs they needed.

 

Loki lay Georgiana gently on the bed, noting the way she was clinging to him in fear. He rubbed the small of her back, gently. “It’s alright, you’re going to be alright,” he whispered, lookin sharply to see what Eir was doing. Already she was mixing up the antidote and he relaxed slightly.

 

“Now, this may hurt a bit, my lady,” Eir said, and Georgiana pulled away from Loki in time to see the chief healer holding up the syringe. Her heart lurched and she flung herself back into Loki’s arms with a cry of “No!”

 

Eir looked at Loki in surprise.

 

“No, please, not that,” Georgiana whimpered.

 

“Georgiana, she has to give you the antidote,” Loki said, hating the Duke for making her terrified of things like this. “It won’t hurt like those other times, I promise.”

 

Georgiana just shook her head against him.

 

“Please, my lady,” Eir insisted. “It will be very quick.”

 

“I can’t!” Georgiana gasped, shaking her head again. “Please, I can’t!”

 

“Yes, you can,” Loki told her. “This is to help you, Georgiana, to save you. You have to let her give you the antidote.”

 

“It’s the only way, my lady,” Eir added.

 

Loki moved to whisper in her ear. “You were brave when you fell off Léttfeti; I know you can face this now.”

 

Georgiana drew in her breath and then, still clinging to Loki, reluctantly stretched out her arm to Eir. Eir smiled and gently took hold of her. Loki tightened his hold on her, murmuring softly to comfort her, as Eir administered the antidote. It did hurt, a tiny bit, but to her surprise the stuff didn’t burn and prickle under her skin as she was used to it doing.

 

“I think we need another dose,” she said, summoning one of her other healers.

 

“You’re doing well,” Loki murmured to Georgiana. “Will you let her do it again?”

 

Nodding, Georgiana held out her arm again and Eir gave her another dose of the antidote.

 

“That’s it,” she said, using some magic to track the poison and the antidote in her system and nodding. “You need to rest now, my lady,” she added, bandaging up Georgiana’s arm, “let the antidote do its work. Most people find it tends to make them sleep for a bit.”

 

Loki smiled and mouthed a “Thank you,” at her as Georgiana finally extracted herself from him and allowed one of the other healers to apply salve to the bites on her neck. She lay down on her side, facing Loki as he seated himself beside her, stroking her cheek gently. Then, to their surprise, Eir place a metal bowl down on the table beside them.

 

“Also, most people find themselves feeling a bit sick afterwards, but that’s completely normal,” she added, nodding curtly.

 

“Thank you,” Georgiana said in a tiny voice. Eir left them to it, and she looked up at Loki. “Will you stay?”

 

Loki nodded. “I’ll be here when you wake up, I promise.”

 

Georgiana reached up and took his hand, holding it tightly between both of hers, and felt her eyes drift shut. Loki reached forwards and pressed a kiss to her forehead, before summoning up his book, finding he could read it with one hand quite easily when it was balanced on one knee. Occasionally, he looked to make sure Georgiana was still alright, but she was asleep each time, so he felt no cause for panic.

 

Not like before. Norns, there had been an awful moment there when he had thought he might lose her forever.

 

He resolve to do something about spiders coming into the palace.

 

Presently, he felt her stir, and he quickly set aside his book and got to his feet.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked, gently, as she blinked at him.

 

Before Georgiana could answer, she felt nausea hit her like a wave, and she quickly sat up, seized the bowl and promptly threw up in it.

 

“I told you,” Eir said, briskly, trying not to sound too smug as she drifted up with some napkins, a pitcher of water and a bowl of honey capsules. These she placed down on the table before removing the bowl from Georgiana’s hands and checking her temperature. With a small, thoughtful “Hm,” she went away again.

 

Georgiana shuddered and reached for some water and a napkin. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

 

“Doesn’t matter, I’m glad you’re alright,” Loki replied, taking the pitcher when she had drunk her fill.

 

She quickly reached for one of the honey capsules and began to chew it, grateful that the sweet honey would freshen her breath and take the taste of sickness away. Eir came back with another syringe.

 

“My lady, if you’ll permit me, I think it would be best all round if I gave you another dose of antidote, just to be on the safe side,” she said.

 

Georgiana nodded, although she eyes the needle warily, and Loki quickly wrapped his arms around her. Burying her head in his chest, Georgiana allowed Eir to unwind the bandage from her arm and administer another dose of antidote. Eir nodded and smiled. “That’s done it, the poison’s completely out of your system now, my lady.”

 

Georgiana just nodded to indicate that she had heard. Loki thanked her and Eir left them to it, assuring Georgiana that she could leave the Healing Room now, but to be careful not to do anything that make the bite marks bleed and become infected. Loki helped her down from the bed and Georgiana tried to pull herself together, although she was still feeling a little shaken by the whole incident.

 

“What happens now?” she asked, trying to sound braver than she actually felt.

 

“Now we go back to the library,” Loki replied, taking her hand. “There’s something I need to do.”

 

“I don’t think I’ll want to sit by a window for a while now,” Georgiana said, causing him to laugh, lightly, and squeeze her hand. She pressed closer to him the whole way back, realizing that with Loki around, she felt that nothing could hurt her.

 

Not for very long, anyway.

 

The first thing Loki did when they got back was to sit her down on the opposite couch and tell her what he was about to do.

 

“You might want to close your eyes,” he told her. “I’m about to use a location spell to see if there are any more spiders hiding in here.”

 

Georgiana immediately pulled her feet up, wrapped her arms around her knees and closed her eyes tightly. Loki quickly performed the spell, finding threw very small ones but banishing them into the garden even so, and then put up the next enchantment. “Alright, that’s done it,” he muttered.

 

Georgiana opened her eyes. “What did you do?”

 

“Well, you remember I told you that the grounds are protected from dangerous things by magic?” Loki asked. Georgiana nodded. “Well, I’ve just done a spell like that for the whole palace, one that’ll repel spiders. I can’t have you getting bitten again.”

 

He smiled at her and went to close the window. Georgiana stared at him in surprise, touched by what he had just done for her, and then hurried up to him, flinging her arms around him from behind and snuggling into him. Equally surprised, Loki turned and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

 

“You were very brave just now,” he murmured. “I don’t think I would have been in your position.”

 

Georgiana tightened her hold on him, feeling he had to be the best thing to ever exist in that moment. “I’m braver when I’m with you,” she whispered.


	15. "You Make Me Feel Safe"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

Georgiana found out what Odin had called Loki to the Throne Room for later that evening, over dinner. It turned out that they were having a surprise royal visit from Alfheimr in a few days time, and Odin was adamant that they hold a melee as a welcoming gift to the visiting ljósálfar.

 

Frigga shook her head. “You men and your melees.”

 

“It’s a tradition,” Odin protested. “Bjart will be expecting it. Plus, it’ll be a good oppertunity for our own soldiers to show what they’re made of.”

 

“Don’t we do that enough already?” Thor asked.

 

Awkwardly, Georgiana stammered “What’s a melee?”

 

Loki smiled at her. “A battle for entertainment.”

 

“A battle?” Georgiana shot a fearful look at Odin, not entirely sure that she like the idea of Loki getting involved in something that could be, well, not entirely safe. “Is it dangerous?”

 

“Only if people fight dirty,” Thor chuckled.

 

“Thor!” Frigga reprimanded, before turning to Georgiana. “It’s not dangerous like a real battle, Georgiana. There are always healers on hand just in case.”

 

Georgiana suddenly decided that she wasn’t very hungry anymore, even so. Thankfully, Loki was the only one who noticed her discomfort and he knew her well enough by now not to draw attention to her, instead slipping his hand under the table when no one else was looking and squeezing hers. Georgiana offered him a nervous smile and returned the gesture before going back to her dessert.

 

“Do you have to get involved with this melee?” she asked him, as they walked back to her room together.

 

“I’m afraid so,” Loki replied. “Everyone else will be; Thor, Sif, the Warriors Three...and being the AllFather’s son I’m expected to.”Georgiana ducked her head and said nothing. Loki, however, wasn’t going to let her off that easily, and he caught her hand, bringing them both to a stop. “What is it?” he asked, gently.

 

Georgiana still didn’t look at him. “I’m scared.”

 

Loki was surprised. “Scared of what?”

 

Her answer came as a whisper that he couldn’t make out.

 

“Scared of you getting hurt.”

 

“Sorry?”

 

She raised her head. “I’m scared you’ll get hurt.”

 

To her surprise, Loki smiled, softly, and stroked her hair back from her face. “Georgiana, I’ll be fine. We’ll all have armour and padding. Even if someone does get hurt, it won’t be serious, a small cut or some bruising at most.” Georgiana tried to smile but she still felt doubtful. After all, it was rumoured that ljósálfar warriors were rather large, some in fact larger than Thor and Volstagg and the thought of Loki up against one of them made her shiver. “We’ll be fine,” Loki insisted.

 

Georgiana nodded and then allowed herself to fall against him, wrapping him in a tight hug which Loki was only too happy to return.

 

“Please be careful,” she whispered.

 

Loki smiled and rested his cheek against the top of her head. “I promise,” he murmured, rubbing her back.

 

Her eyes opened suddenly. “No one’s ever been killed in a melee, have they?”

 

Loki laughed, softly. “No. It’s not that kind of battle. To win, you just disarm your opponent, not kill them.”

 

Was it his imagination, or did her grip on him tighten when he said the word “disarm?”

 

“Please will you stay with me tonight?” she whispered. “After what happened..?”

 

Loki nodded. “Of course I will.”

 

Together they walked to her room and Loki waited for Georgiana to swap her day dress for her nightdress, whilst magicking himself into his own nightclothes, before they both climbed into bed. He noticed that she seemed tense, casting nervous glances about the room as she slid in beside him.

 

“I keep feeling like a spider’s going to come out and bite me,” she murmured.

 

“Georgiana, I told you, none can get into the palace now,” Loki reassured her.

 

She shuddered. “But they can get into my dreams.”

 

Loki slid an arm around her waist. “Not as long as I’m protecting you, they won’t.”

 

With a small smile, Georgiana pressed closer to him and then, feeling a little braver, laid her hands on his chest. “Is this alright?” she asked, tentatively.

 

Loki felt a tingling rush run through him when she touched him like that and he bits back the urge to moan. “Of course it is,” he said, pulling her closer.

 

Georgiana closed her eyes. “I like this.”

 

“What; cuddling?” Loki asked.

 

“Is that what it is?” Georgiana nodded. “It’s nice.”

 

Loki kissed her forehead as he felt her fall asleep. “Goodnight, Georgiana.”

 

“Mm, goodnight, Loki,” Georgiana murmured back.

 

The party from ljósálfar arrived two days later, and Georgiana was both surprised and relieved to find that actually their warriors weren’t that much taller or sturdier than Asgard’s own, so she ceased to worry about Loki in the melee. She was also surprised by how ethereal they were, how beautiful, even the men, all appeared. She suddenly felt rather insignificant beside them, that is, until she felt Loki slip his fingers through hers, and she looked up at him with a shy smile.

 

“You look divine,” he whispered.

 

She blushed. The dress was indeed very beautiful; sleeveless, emerald green and flowing with flecks of gold patched across the bodice and skirt, a gold belt and gold detailing on the shoulders, and with a cape attached to the back of the shoulders that rippled like water as she walked.

 

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Your Mother had it made for the occasion.”

 

“I wasn’t talking about the dress,” Loki replied.

 

“Oh.” Then, realizing what he meant, her blush deepened. “Oh.”

 

Odin greeted Bjart, the ruler of Alfheimr, and his wife, Ada, and their oldest son Balder, first, and then introduced his family to them. Georgiana ceased to be nervous as she realised that they were all friendly people in spite of their somewhat intimidating beauty.

 

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said to Ada as the Queen of Alfheimr met her.

 

Ada smiled, kindly, and turned to Loki. “Are you sure your betrothed is from here, your Highness? She looks as if she belongs in Alfheimr with us.”

 

Loki looked rather pleased at that compliment, Georgiana noticed, and then suddenly it occurred to her that Loki was proud to have her as his wife-to-be. The thought made her feel warm inside.

 

“Indeed, she does,” Balder agreed, bowing to her, and it was in a rather charming manner rather than a lecherous one, so Georgiana smiled and returned the gesture with a small curtsey.

 

“Everything is set up for the melee later,” Odin informed Bjart.

 

“Excellent,” Bjart said in his deep but friendly voice.

 

Ada rolled her eyes. “Oh, you men and your battles.”

 

Frigga laughed. “Aren’t they just awful?”

 

Georgiana relaxed. The ljósálfar were clearly very friendly people, and she had the feeling that even if Loki lost in the melee, they would be nice enough not to try and hurt him.

 

Not that she imagined that he would lose, of course, as she remembered him once telling her that he was perfectly capable of holding his own in a battle.

 

The morning seemed to pass all too quickly, and before too long, it was almost time for the melee to begin. Everyone made their way outside to where the training ground had been transformed into the ultimate battlefield for close combat. The warriors for both sides were assigned their tents to dress and arm themselves for battle, and Georgiana lingered a bit nearby the one where Loki and Thor and the others were preparing. Far from being nervous, she was now actually quite excited to see Loki in the heat of battle for the first time. She remembered Sif telling her that on the battlefield he moved so fast that he was often just a blur, and again it sent a thrill through her.

 

Loki smiled at her as he finally emerged from the tent, dressed in his battle armour. “Are you alright?”

 

Georgiana nodded. “Everyone seems very nice. Isn’t it going to be strange fighting them?”

 

He laughed, lightly. “Not when it’s for entertainment.”

 

Georgiana glanced over at where some of the ljósálfar warriors were already dressed for battle and being surrounded by some of their women, who were handing them handkerchiefs and scarves.

 

“What are they doing?” she asked.

 

“Giving their favourite warriors their favours,” Loki replied. “Small tokens of personal value that their men will only be able to physically give back to them if they come out of a battle alive, or in this case just to bring them luck in the hope that they’ll win the melee.”

 

Georgiana thought for a second and then reached back to untie the plain ivory coloured ribbon she had been given to use here in Asgard by the Duke, and which was currently keeping her hair out of her eyes. She quickly pulled her hair free and then, to Loki’s surprise, took hold of his hand and tied the ribbon around his wrist. She met his gaze and, feeling suddenly more confident, whispered “Win this for me?”

 

Loki smiled and brought his other hand around to cradle the back of her head. “I’ll do my best,” he promised, before kissing her forehead, gently.

 

“Come on, Loki, or we’ll miss the start,” Thor called, emerging from the tent, also prepared for battle. He smiled at Georgiana. “I think Mother’s saved a place for you to watch from.”

 

Georgiana nodded. “Good luck,” she said, to both of them, although her eyes were on Loki as she said it. Loki dropped his hand from the back of her head, lingering as long as possible, she noticed, and turned to his brother.

 

“Let’s hurry up and win this thing, then,” he smiled.

 

“Don’t go getting too confident,” Thor replied, with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve heard that Bjart’s lot have been training all week for this.”

 

Georgiana decided to take her leave before someone else could take her seat, and Loki watched her go with a fond look that Thor couldn’t miss.

 

“Is she rooting for you?” he teased.

 

“Shut up,” Loki muttered, giving his brother a half-hearted push.

 

Frigga was sitting up beside Odin, with an empty seat beside her, as Thor had predicted. Georgiana quickly slipped into it and found herself joined by Ada. She must have looked slightly nervous, because Ada said quietly to her “Don’t worry; I’ve seen Prince Loki fight before, he’s brilliant at it.”

 

Georgiana smiled, feeling a rush of pride when she said that. “If he’s as good at fighting as he is at everything else he does, I’m sure I don’t need to worry.”

 

The melee began after Odin made a quick introduction to it that Georgiana barely heard because her entire focus was on Loki. Then, with a blast on what sounded like a hunting horn, it began, and the first clash of metal on metal from two swords smashing together made her jump. She watched one of the warriors come at Sif, swinging what could only be described as a ball with spikes whirling from a chain, but Sif delivered a cut that split the wood the chain was attached to and sent the thing flying across the arena, Hogun having to duck in the nick of time to avoid it taking his eye out.

 

She sat up a little straighter, trying to find Loki, but even in his colours, she couldn’t pick him out amid all the warriors, at least, not until one of Alfheimr’s warriors came charging at Fandral with an enormous axe. Fandral gave as good as he got, bounding backwards on his toes as his sword met the sharp edge of the axe repeatedly in a deadly dance, but when another of the warriors came at him with a deadly-looking club, he started to look a bit worried.

 

That is, of course, until a blur of green appeared beside him, disarmed the man with the axe with a simple thrust of a dagger, pivoted around and disarmed the club-wielding warrior in one movement and just regained his balance in time to fend off another dagger-wielding warrior.

 

Georgiana caught her breath. Sif had been right. On the battlefield, Loki was exceedingly fast, and suddenly she realised that, knowing that, she didn’t need to ever feel scared in his presence. And that she never did.

 

With Loki around, she always felt safe.

 

A hand slid into hers, and she looked up. It was Frigga, smiling at her.

 

“Are you alright?” she asked.

 

Georgiana nodded. “Yes.” Then, she looked over to where Loki was still holding his own in the battle. “I think he’s going to win this.”

 

“I think you’re right,” Frigga agreed, and held onto her hand the entire time. She must be incredibly proud of both her sons, Georgiana realised, and in that moment she felt proud of both of them too.

 

The melee went on, and each time a warrior got knocked down or disarmed, Georgiana drew in her breath, and then let it out in relief each time she saw that it wasn’t Loki. Soon there were only a handful of warriors left on the field, and Loki was one of them. How he still had so much energy left was beyond her but it filled her with a tingling sensation inside.

 

The Asgardians were definitely winning, she realised, as there were more of them left in the arena than the ljósálfar warriors. Loki had two opposing him at the minute, but she wasn’t worried about him anymore. He could beat them, she knew he could.

 

Her grip on Frigga’s hand tightened as she saw him finally disarm one and bring the other to his knees with one quick movement that seemed impossible and yet was indeed possible because she had just seen it happen. His two opponents yielded just as Thor and Volstagg disarmed their opponent at the same time.

 

“Victory for Asgard!” Volstagg cheered, brandishing his quarterstaff in the air.

 

Applause broke out and Georgiana released Frigga’s hand to join it, leaning forwards a little in her seat and longing for Loki to notice just how proud she was of him. He glanced up in her direction and she felt her heart skip a beat, feeling the smile on his face was just for her.

 

“Ah,” Bjart said, beside Odin, shaking his head. “It seems we are bested once again. My men will have to train much harder if they want to beat yours next time, Odin.”

 

Odin laughed. “I’m sure they were just having an off-day, Bjart.”

 

Georgiana was itching to leave her seat and run to Loki’s side, but she had to wait until the warriors had cleared the arena and everyone else beside her had moved. She tried not to look too eager as she finally made her way down from her seat and towards the tent where she knew Loki was probably changing back into his usual attire along with the other Asgardian warriors.

 

“You were amazing!” she exclaimed when he emerged, and she ran and flung herself at him for a hug.

 

Loki laughed at her enthusiasm as he hugged her back. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

 

“I would! You were so fast!” Georgiana pulled away from him and added, suddenly feeling shy about admitting it, “It made me feel protected.”

 

Loki looked at her in surprise, because such an admission was, well, a very big deal, after all. His heart began to race.

 

“I make you feel protected?” he repeated.

 

Georgiana nodded. Slowly, Loki cupped her face in both hands and smiled at her, as if he couldn’t believe that she had just said that, and she returned it, feeling her own heart rate pick up the second he touched her. It felt so intimate, so caring, and she felt a burst of warmth coil into the pit of her stomach and spring upwards like a flickering flame. Loki leaned towards her and she suddenly felt so completely relaxed with him that she didn’t care what happened next. All she knew that she was here, with Loki, feeling so safe and protected, and it just felt right.

 

“Loki, are you coming?” Fandral suddenly shouted, causing Loki to falter, and they both turned to look over at him, Loki in indignation and Georgiana in surprise. “We’ve got to go and meet the losers!”

 

“You idiot!” Sif appeared out of nowhere, seized hold of Fandral and dragged him bodily away.

 

“Ow!” Fandral protested, out of earshot and sight of Loki and Georgiana.

 

“Can’t you see they were about to kiss?” Sif exclaimed, shaking her head. “Way to ruin the moment!”

 

Watching Sif drag Fandral away, Loki sighed inwardly and dropped his hands. Georgiana blushed and stepped away from him. “You won’t be too long, will you?” she asked, awkwardly twisting her fingers in front of her.

 

Loki smiled and took her hand. “No, only a minute. I’ll be right back.”

 

He squeezed her fingers and left, making a mental note to punch Fandral at the next opportunity he got. Georgiana watched him leave, before bringing up her hands to touch her face where his hands had been, feeling the warmth of him still lingering there.

 

“Your betrothed fights very well,” said a voice beside her. She turned to see Balder standing nearby.

 

She dropped her hands and nodded. “Yes, he does.”

 

Balder couldn’t miss the look in her eyes when she said it, and he felt slightly disappointed, he realised, because she was very beautiful indeed. He had hoped, just for a moment, to turn her head, but now he saw that it was useless. He bowed to her. “He’s also a very lucky man to have found himself a beauty such as you.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Thank you.” Then, seeing he looked slightly depressed, she understood and added, “Perhaps one day, you can be so lucky too.”

 

He smiled. “Perhaps I can.”

 

With another bow, he left her and Loki rejoined her a moment later. He went to take her hand, but instead, to his surprise, Georgiana ignored his hand and slipped her arm through his instead, pressing close against him. Loki’s expression of surprise melted as he beamed at her and led her from the arena and into the palace, both of them feeling a rush of pride about having the other in their life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Dress Style: http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1fGXtHVXXXXXnXFXXq6xXFXXXn/Juego-de-tronos-vestido-Cosplay-Daenerys-Targaryen-Cosplay-del-partido-del-traje-de-Halloween-trajes-del.jpg (Picture it in green!)


	16. “Every Now And Then I Get A Little Bit Terrified, And Then I See The Look In Your Eyes...”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

“Isn’t this a little...daring?” Georgiana asked, feeling slightly nervous. The dress she was currently wearing was lovely, dark green with black embroidery patterns and ribbons dangling from the straps that held it at her shoulders, giving the impression of torn sleeves, but the fact that it had a split up one leg, right up to the lower part of her thigh, made her feel wary about wearing such a thing in public.

 

“Nonsense, you’ll be fine,” Frigga replied, turning the young girl about to face her. “Besides, you’ve hidden your legs from Loki long enough, I think it’s time he saw them.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “What do you mean?”

 

Frigga smiled. “I’m not blind, Georgiana. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’s clearly very attracted to you.”

 

Georgiana considered this. She had never actually thought about that before. True, Loki told her that she was beautiful but she hadn’t considered what that meant; that each time Loki saw her he was filled with the same rushing feeling described in so many books where the hero and heroine met one another and fell in love at first sight.

 

“He does tell me I’m beautiful,” she said, shyly.

 

Frigga gave her a mischievous look. “Then tonight your beauty must outshine every other woman’s tenfold.”

 

Georgiana trusted the Queen to know what she was doing as she began to style her hair for her. She felt a little kick of excitement as she glanced down at what she was wearing. Tonight, Frigga had insisted that they hold a dance for their Alfheimr guests and since it would be her first time dancing with Loki, Georgiana felt both thrilled and slightly terrified. Crossing her fingers for luck, she prayed that she would get through this alright.

 

Frigga seemed to sense her nerves, for she gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and said “You’re going to be fine, Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana tried to look hopeful. “I’ve never danced in heels before,” she confessed. “I don’t want to show anyone up.”

 

“You mean Loki?” Frigga asked, knowingly.

 

“No. Well, you know, I mean...yes, Loki,” Georgiana finished, lamely.

 

Frigga laughed, gently. “If I know my son, and I do, there’s nothing in the world you could do to make him feel like a fool, Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana smiled and said nothing, lost in her own thoughts of Loki. It had been completely true, what she had said to him earlier, that he made her feel protected, because he did, always expressing concern for her safety, and saving her from things that scared her, and comforting her when she needed it. He was always right there for her, and she felt completely safe whenever he was near her.

 

She knew he would always come running when danger threatened.

 

“There,” Frigga smiled as she finished pinning up Georgiana’s golden locks with small glittering crystal pins. “All done.”

 

“So, I can see myself now?” Georgiana asked. Frigga had covered up all the mirrors in the room and told her that she wouldn’t be allowed to look in them until she had finished.

 

“Not yet,” Frigga smiled, reaching for the powder on her dresser. “Just a few more small touches.”

 

Georgiana sighed, inwardly, but sat and did whatever Frigga instructed her to do. She couldn’t help feeling that this was all a bit too fussy, and she could remember her Uncle often telling her that women should never spend too much time making themselves look attractive, because it put men off them.

 

_“If there is one thing men loathe, it is women who care too much about their looks than anything else,” he had snapped to her the first time, and then added with a sneer, “not that you need to worry about that so much, Georgiana, looking as you do.”_

Sometimes his remarks could hurt more than his beatings.

 

“Now you can look,” Frigga said, finally, getting to her feet and holding out a hand to the young girl. Georgiana took it and allowed Frigga to stand her in front of the mirror before she uncovered it.

 

She stared at herself, for the girl looking back at her was very beautiful; the majority of her hair pinned up at the back of her head with the rest loose over one shoulder, her face pale but also tinged with a soft pink blush that looked natural, her eyelids tinted with a shade of brown and a sweep of glitter that changed colour in the light, her lips tinged a colour that was either dark pink or pale red, and the green jewelled shoes she had bought with Loki on her feet, complimenting the darker green of her dress.

 

The effect was striking, to Frigga’s eyes, as she beamed at her future daughter-in-law.

 

Georgiana managed a startled laugh as she turned to her. “I look quite pretty,” she said, softly.

 

“No, Georgiana, you look beautiful,” Frigga replied, taking both of her hands in her own. “You will turn every man’s head in the room tonight, and every woman’s too.”

 

Georgiana giggled, uncertainly, and allowed the Queen to lead her from the room and towards the ballroom. Through the partially open doors, they could hear chatter and faint music drifting towards them, and as Frigga pushed the door so that they could enter, Georgiana was taken aback by the amount of people actually in the room. It looked as though all the nobles in Asgard had been invited.

 

Frigga let go of her arm to drift to Odin’s side, leaving Georgiana standing uncertain a moment on the top step, with no idea what to do.

 

“Oh, Gods...” Sif murmured. “She looks amazing.”

 

Loki looked up at the same time as the others and like everyone else in the room at that moment, he couldn’t help staring at her.

 

“You’re a lucky man, has anyone ever told you that?” Volstagg asked, lowering his capon leg.

 

Loki managed a nod, and then, seeing that Georgiana looked a little lost, he made his way towards her through the dancers, who were currently not dancing in favour of staring at her.

 

Georgiana glanced about, the sudden desire to retreat seizing her, but then she saw Loki and courage immediately took the place of nerves. Concentrating hard on not tripping, she made her way down the steps to where he was waiting for her. He smiled at her, wanting to tell her just how beautiful she looked but her appearance had left him momentarily speechless.

 

Feeling a little bolder, Georgiana remembered everything she had been taught about formality and dropped a curtsey. “Your Highness,” she murmured, with the hint of a teasing smile in her voice.

 

Loki took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Lady Georgiana,” he teased back, bringing a smile to her lips.

 

Awkwardly, Georgiana noticed that everyone in the room was still looking at them, and she felt her cheeks colour up. “Everyone’s staring,” she said, softly, lowering her eyes.

 

“That’s because you’re the most beautiful woman in the room,” Loki replied.

 

Georgiana raised her eyes to his and smiled.

 

“Hey!” Sif came up to them, dressed, rather surprisingly, in an actual dress for once, flowing and the colour of red wine. “I love your shoes!”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana smiled and lifted her skirt for Sif to see them properly. “Thank you. Loki bought them for me.”

 

Sif looked at Loki and raised her eyebrows with a teasing smile, hands on her hips. “I never knew you had such an eye for ladies’ fashions, Loki.”

 

“No, Georgiana picked them, I just paid for them,” Loki replied, squeezing Georgiana’s fingers gently before lacing their hands together.

 

“Ah, that explains it,” Sif teased as the music picked up.

 

“Come on,” Loki murmured, leading Georgiana back to the others.

 

“Oh, no!” Fandral sighed. “I must have died in that melee, because we seem to have a beautiful _valkyrie_ in our midst!”

 

Georgiana giggled. “Thank you, Fandral.”

 

“Find your own girl,” Sif said, nudging him.

 

“Alright, then,” Fandral grinned, darting in amongst the dancers and sweeping a ljósálfar maiden quite literally off her feet.

 

Thor shook his head. “He is literally unbelievable.”

 

Volstagg put down his capon leg and winked at another pretty ljósálfar maid, who was giggling shyly with some of her friends as they looked over at him. He nudged Thor. “Hey up, I think we’re in here.”

 

Before Thor could protest, Volstagg was jostling him in the direction of the maidens.

 

“Loki,” Hogun said, nodding his head in the direction of the doors. “Your Father wants you.”

 

Loki turned and saw Odin was indeed beckoning him. Inwardly sighing, he murmured to Georgiana “Be right back,” squeezed her hand and left. Georgiana watched him weave his way towards Odin, longingly, feeling that same strange feeling she had woken up feeling one morning stir inside her again, like butterflies, but lower than in her stomach.

 

“Am I imagining things,” Sif whispered in her ear, “or do I see you pining for your betrothed?”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Is it that obvious?”

 

“No, but I can see the way you look at him,” Sif murmured as they watched the dancers. Fandral winked, suggestively, at them as he passed with his ljósálfar partner and they all laughed. “Like you don’t want him to be gone from you for too long.”

 

“Well...I don’t,” Georgiana confessed. “I...”

 

“Lady Georgiana.” It was Balder, and he offered her a small bow. “I don’t suppose it would be possible for you to give me the pleasure of this next dance?”

 

Georgiana smiled, sadly. “I’m very flattered, your Highness, but I’m afraid all my dances are promised to someone else.”

 

“But mine aren’t,” Sif added, reaching out her hand to Balder. “And I’ve been told that I can dance as well as I can fight.”

 

“Mm.” Balder raised his eyebrows in genuine interest. “In that case, you must be the best dancer here, my lady.”

 

He took her hand and Sif mouthed a “You’re welcome,” to Georgiana as she was led in among the dancers. Georgiana smiled and then noticed that Hogun seemed to have drifted away from her and was talking to someone he clearly knew a few feet away.

 

“All your dances are promised to someone else?” a voice beside her suddenly murmured, teasingly, and she looked up to see that Loki was back by her side again.

 

She blushed. “To you,” she clarified.

 

“I guessed as much,” Loki replied, offering her his hand. Georgiana took it and stepped closer to him, feeling a tingle go through her when he laid one hand on her waist and she pressed her free hand to his shoulder. With a smile, Loki pulled her into the rhythm of the dance, and Georgiana lost herself in just following him in time to the music. She completely forgot about everyone staring at her, became completely unable to hear their whispers of “She is so beautiful,” and “Is is true that she’s marrying Prince Loki?” as she became lost in a world where only music and Loki seemed to exist, and time meant nothing.

 

But he could make her feel like that, and so much more besides.

 

Her heart fluttered as they followed the dancers in the spinning movement, and she tensed suddenly, paranoid that her skirt would rise up and reveal her undergarments. But it simply twirled about her legs and she relaxed as Loki spun her back into his arms again. With a smile, Georgiana moved closer to him and rested her head against his chest, feeling warm inside when Loki wrapped his arm tighter around her waist and kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek atop it. He caught Thor’s eye, but this time his brother was just smiling, genuinely happy for him. Loki returned it, feeling a justified sense of pride in that moment.

 

The music came to an end and Georgiana slowly, and somewhat reluctantly, pulled slightly out of the embrace.

 

“You dance brilliantly,” Loki told her. “Even in high shoes.”

 

Georgiana smiled. “You remember that? I told you that ages ago.”

 

Loki dropped his hand from hers and laid it on her waist. “I remember everything, Georgiana.”

 

Blushing, Georgiana glanced at her feet, and then looked up to see the others making their way towards them.

 

“Come on,” Volstagg was saying to the girl he was with. “Before all the wine’s gone.”

 

Loki smiled and took Georgiana’s hand. “Come on before Volstagg gets to the wine first.”

 

Georgiana laughed and let him lead her to where the goblets were all lined up. She accepted one, gratefully, and looked around the room. “Do your family often hold dances?” she asked, shyly.

 

“Usually only for visitors,” Loki replied. “Or special occasions.”

 

He gave her hand a squeeze and Georgiana understood; and suddenly for the first time she felt a thrill of excitement about marrying him. Surely that day couldn’t be too far off now? Odin had said when she was healthy enough to stand on her own two feet, and she was sure she was that. Maybe she ought to have Eir check on her just in case.

 

Glancing around the room, she noticed two Asgardians sitting beside the door, chattering rather loudly, and judging by their red cheeks, they had had more than a few goblets of wine themselves.

 

“No, no, no, you know who she is,” one was saying. “Duke Cavendish’s niece.”

 

“Duke Cavendish?” the other said, swaying slightly.

 

“Yes, she’ll be marrying the Prince soon, the younger one, not the older,” the first said.

 

“Wait, wasn’t Cavendish the one who bumped off his brother and made it look like an accident?” the other asked, suddenly.

 

Georgiana stiffened.

 

“Can’t remember,” the first said. “May have been. Mind you, there was a lot of that going on back then, it was fashionable like.”

 

“Easy to fake a riding accident under the right conditions,” his companion agreed, before slumping against the wall and passing out.

 

As he said that, Georgiana was struck by a sudden memory, or rather the blur of what she assumed was a memory. She could hear the Duke snapping to someone else “No, a clean cut, not so obvious, otherwise it’ll fall apart the second anyone sits on it!”

 

“Georgiana, are you alright?” Suddenly she was aware of Loki placing both hands on her arms and she looked up into his worried green eyes.

 

“I don’t know,” she whispered, and then seeing that Sif and the others were coming up, also looking worried, she added “I think I need some air.”

 

Pulling away from him, she quickly hurried to the door and stumbled out into the night air, her mind reeling. At the time...it hadn’t made sense...and it had been repressed over the years...but now...oh, Gods, what if they were right? What if..?

 

She covered her face with her hands and sank down on the carved stone bench nearby, taking a deep breath to steady herself. It would make sense, she realised, because with her Father out of the way, and she married off to someone else, the Duke would have complete control of Althrop, and so would his heirs, if any.

 

But the thought of him actually killing off his own brother...

 

She felt sick.

 

“Georgiana?” Loki crouched beside her, taking her hands in his own. “What is it? Tell me.”

 

She shuddered. “I-I-I just heard...”

 

“What?” Loki prompted, gently.

 

“I just heard someone talking...and it triggered a memory...”

 

Briefly she told him what she had overheard and remembered, and Loki listened carefully, his expression thoughtful.

 

“Georgiana, you can’t be certain,” he began.

 

“I know,” Georgiana interrupted, “but something about it...I don’t know...it fits...and that was definitely what happened, what I remember...I’m sure they were talking about cutting through the saddle...” She looked up into his eyes. “Please believe me.”

 

“I do, Georgiana,” Loki promised, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “But if it isn’t true, then we’re faced with an enormous problem, politically.”

 

Georgiana looked away from him. “I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t think-”

 

“We need to find out the truth,” Loki interrupted her, gently. His fingers brushed her cheek with velvety softness and she relaxed, slightly, enjoying the soft touch against her skin. “Georgiana,” Loki murmured, causing her to finally look back at him. He offered her a hopeful look. “It will be alright, I promise.”

 

Georgiana didn’t know how to feel. She wanted to cry but she managed to stop herself, although her voice was shaky as she got to her feet and stammered “Sh-should we go back inside? Everyone will be wondering-”

 

Loki cut her off as he pulled her into a hug and she clung gratefully to him.

 

“We’ll find out the truth,” Loki promised, stroking her hair, vowing to speak to Odin first thing in the morning about this. For now, though, Georgiana needed him to be strong for her, so he just stood and held her close until she finally felt brave enough to face their guests again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Hair: http://1001weddinghairstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/wedding-hairstyles-long-curly-hair-3.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Dress: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f9/78/52/f97852a1ced0142701a0a465bc5d67a7.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Eye Makeup: http://makeup-styles.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/dramatic-eye-makeup-for-brown-eyes.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Lip Colour: http://www.nikkietutorials.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MUG06.jpg


	17. “Nothing Can Harm You, Not While I’m Around”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

Georgiana did her best to push all thoughts that her Father might have actually been murdered to the back of her mind for the remainder of the evening, which turned out to be fairly easy since everyone else in the room was oblivious to what she had just heard and they were all making merry, dancing and laughing together. It was easy to get swept up in the midst of it all and forget anything negative.

 

Loki worried about her even so, though.

 

By the time the whole evening was at an end, everyone was either tired or tipsy. In fact, Volstagg was so full of the drink that had to be supported by Fandral and Hogun as they practically carried him off to bed, with Sif and Thor hurrying behind just in case they were needed. Loki could see that Georgiana was looking exhausted, but dreamily so, her expression tiredly happy as she walked alongside him back along the corridor to her room. She was quiet and he left her to her private thoughts, his own mind wandering to thoughts of the Duke.

 

Could that man really have it in him to _murder_ someone? And his own brother at that?

 

Something told him, against his better judgement, that he could, especially given the way he had always treated his own niece.

 

And if he had, then Odin had to be informed. The man had to be brought to justice.

 

But then what could that mean, politically, for the relationship between Asgard and Althrop?

 

He quickly roused himself as they reached the door of her room and Georgiana smiled, sleepily, up at him.

 

“Tonight was fun,” she said, her voice soft.

 

“Yes, it was,” he agreed, equally softly, squeezing her hand before kissing it. “Goodnight, Georgiana.”

 

“Goodnight,” Georgiana whispered back, before suddenly hugging him. She didn’t know why she suddenly wanted to be close to him, she just had an urge to, and she felt tingly inside when Loki hugged her back. He always held her so tightly, as if he were afraid something would suddenly snatch her out of his arms and hurt her. She liked that, she liked that he was so protective of her.

 

Loki held her for a while, perhaps longer than necessary, but who cared, and then murmured “Come on, before you fall over.”

 

“I’m not that tired,” Georgiana insisted.

 

“Yes, you are,” Loki smiled, pulling back and kissing her forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

Georgiana smiled shyly, nodded and then slipped into her room. A few minutes later, she realised that Loki had actually been right about how tired she was because she had a little trouble unfastening her dress, her hands slow and sleepy, but eventually she was able to undress and slip into her nightgown before unpinning her hair, brushing it out, washing her face and crawling into bed. She fell asleep almost instantly, but was woken suddenly by the sound of shattering glass close by.

 

She sat up, staring into the darkness, and then becoming quickly aware of a draught as the curtains began to billow in the night air, before pushing herself off the bed and approaching the window, cautiously. There was broken glass on the floor, she could just make out, and then she realised what had happened.

 

Someone had thrown a rock through her bedroom window.

 

For a second, she just stood there, trembling, and then instinct kicked it. Pulling open her door, she hurried out into the corridor and ran to Loki’s room, knocking rapidly to wake him up.

 

Loki jolted out of sleep, and, still half-asleep, padded over to open the door. He blinked at her, bewildered. “Georgiana, what-?”

 

Georgiana simply grabbed his hand and pulled him back in the direction of her room, pointing wordlessly to the broken glass on the floor. Loki rubbed his eyes, fiercely, as he woke up properly and then stepped over to the window. There was a large jagged hole in the glass where something large had been hurled through it, and he looked down to see a large rock just by his feet. Motioning for Georgiana to stay where she was, out of fear she might cut herself on the broken glass, he bent down and picked it up. There was a scrap of parchment tied around it, and he untied it, to see one single word scrawled on it.

 

“What is it?” Georgiana whispered, her eyes wide and fearful.

 

Loki crumpled the parchment in his hand. “It doesn’t matter.”

 

Georgiana reached for the parchment, however, and Loki could tell that she wasn’t going to be deterred, so he sighed and held it out to her. She took it, unfolded it and read what it said.

 

There, in handwriting that looked very familiar to her, a single word stood out black against the cream parchment.

_Worthless._

It stung but she tried hard not to show it.

 

“It isn’t true,” Loki said, stepping over the broken glass to take her hand. “You are _not_ worthless, Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana scrunched the parchment back up and dropped it to the floor, looking at her feet. Loki could feel her beginning to tremble.

 

“Why’s he doing this?” she whispered, her voice shaking. She didn’t want to cry but she felt like she might.

 

Loki wrapped her in a hug. “Do you want to stay with me tonight?”

 

She nodded.

 

With a wave of his hand, Loki repaired the broken window and then led her out of her room and back to his own. Almost immediately, Georgiana made her way over to the bed and scrabbled down under the sheets. It didn’t surprise him. She was scared. She wanted to feel safe. For added security, he quickly locked the door and checked that the windows were locked before making his way over to climb in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her again, noting the way she clung to him as if she were frightened the Duke would suddenly appear out of nowhere and strike her like he had done so many times before.

 

“He can’t hurt you,” Loki murmured, soothingly. “Not while I’m here.”

 

Georgiana nodded and closed her eyes tightly, focusing on him instead, thinking about how he always did things like this for her, when she was scared, how he looked after her and comforted her and made her feel better.

 

She fell asleep thinking about that.

 

When Loki woke up the next morning, he found that he had rolled over onto his back in his sleep, bringing Georgiana with him. She was still fast asleep with her head on his chest, snuggled close to him with her fingers gripping his tunic tightly. He couldn’t help smiling. Presently, she stirred and looked up at him.

 

“Good morning,” Loki murmured.

 

Her expression quickly went from confused to apologetic.

 

“Oh, Gods, was I using you for a pillow?” she asked, pushing herself up quickly. “I’m so sorry.”

 

“I don’t mind,” Loki admitted, sitting up. “How did you sleep?”

 

Georgiana thought about it. “Quite well, actually.”

 

Last night’s events had definitely brought her down, Loki realised, and he quickly began to search for some way of bringing her back up again.

 

“How about,” he ventured finally, causing her to look up at him, “we go back to our place today? With the elf lights in the sky?”

 

Her expression brightened at once. “I’d like that very much, Loki.”

 

Loki smiled and climbed out of bed, and then to her surprise, he summoned her clothes for the day. “You can use my bathroom,” he told her. “I’m going to see if I can find us something to eat when we get there.”

 

On his way to the kitchens, however, he made a quick detour to her room to retrieve the rock and the scrap of parchment, before making his way to the Throne Room.

 

Odin frowned when he told him what had happened. “It seems a singularly useless thing to do,” he said. “For anyone.”

 

“I think he’s trying to frighten her,” Loki replied, “although I don’t know why.”

 

“Because he’s psychotic,” Odin answered, getting to his feet. “We’re going to have to do something about this.”

 

Loki hesitated before venturing “There’s something else as well, but I’d rather not tell you right now, Georgiana and I are going out. But it is rather important. It could change everything.”

 

Odin frowned. “Then tell me the second you get back.”

 

Loki nodded and left the room. Now, he decided, was not a time to worry about such things, now was the time for making sure his wife-to-be was alright.

 

By the time he got back to the room, she was already bathed and dressed, and waiting for him.

 

“You’re not going out like that, are you?” she quipped, and it was then that he remembered he was still in his bedclothes.

 

He smiled at her. “No, I could startle a lot of people if I go out dressed like this.”

 

As he made to start getting dressed, it suddenly occurred to Georgiana that he might want some of that, what was the term he had used, privacy that he had once offered her that first day she had been here.

 

“Do you want me to not look?” she stammered.

 

Loki smiled at her. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

 

Georgiana quickly turned her back and allowed him to get dressed, although she couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder once, for after all she had never seen a man undressed before, and she quickly caught a glimpse of him as he yanked off his sleep tunic, which caused her to blush and quickly turn away again.

 

“I saw that,” Loki scolded, lightly.

 

For some reason, she giggled, even though she was still blushing like fire. “Forgive me?”

 

Loki smiled as he pulled on a clean undershirt. “I will _this_ time, Georgiana,” he teased and she giggled again. It occurred to her suddenly that she had long since stopped feeling awkward or embarrassed in his presence. She felt safe to be herself around him.

 

Fully dressed, Loki walked over to the desk and picked up something before going up to her. “I forgot to give this back to you yesterday,” he said, holding up her ivory ribbon. Georgiana smiled but before she could take it, he added “May I?”

 

Realising, she nodded and felt him move behind her to tie her hair back for her. At his touch, she closed her eyes, like she always did, feeling that if she were a cat, she would be purring in that moment. Then as he finished, she felt him kiss the top of her head, and her eyes flew open. He smiled at her, and as she returned it, she knew she was blushing again.

 

His kisses always set her heart racing. What would it be like, she wondered, as they left the palace together, to be kissed properly by him, the way it was done in books? How would it feel, his lips on hers, the taste of him lingering...it caused that strange feeling in her again just imagining what it must be like.

 

Would he ever kiss her in that way?

 

She suspected he would on their wedding day, at last.

 

The day was warm and pleasant, and she was glad he had suggested this. After being scared awake this morning, she felt that she needed to get away from the palace for a while, and she didn’t really mind where she went as long as Loki was with her. She had an odd feeling that he would never leave her on her own for as long as they lived...and she was perfectly alright with that.

 

Their place, as Loki had called it, looked exactly the same as before, just as thrilling and exotic, except this time she entered it without that same feeling of worry she had had before, worry that Loki was bringing her here alone to abuse her in some way. She knew now that he would never do that to her. Confidently she rode alongside him until they reached a good place to tie up their horses, and this time she was ready for him to help her down from Léttfeti, smiling her thanks when he lifted her down as if she weighed nothing. It was nice being there just the two of them with no one else around, completely cut off from the rest of the world in the calm tranquility of this place that seemed to belong to them and no one else.

 

The day passed far too quickly for either of their liking, culminating in Loki stating he could finally get Georgiana back for soaking him that first time they had come here – only to find himself promptly soaked and abandoned again by her. He shook his head before running after her and this time catching up with her before she even got to the slope and splash her enough times to get the bottom of her riding dress completely soaked through and sticking to her legs. Georgiana squeaked with laughter as he let go of her and then hugged him tightly.

 

“Thank you for this,” she whispered, “it was just what I needed.”

 

Loki was about to reply when she abruptly pulled away from him and gave him a shove so that he fell back into the shallows. She laughed, and with a mischievous smirk, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him, cutting off her laughter abruptly as she yelped and then giggled as she landed beside him.

 

“Now, look,” he pretended to scold her, “we’re both soaking wet.”

 

Georgiana giggled again. “You didn’t see it coming, though, did you?”

 

Loki was suddenly overcome with a sudden urge to kiss her, but he resisted, instead opting to pull her to her feet as he got up, admitting “No, I’ll admit, I didn’t,” and she laughed again as he led the way back up the slope.

 

Some time later, dried off, they were on their way back to the palace, emerging from that part of the forest that led to the entry way to their special place, when suddenly something sounded close by, like a twig snapping underfoot, and Loki quickly reined in Gyllir, listening hard. Georgiana stopped Léttfeti too and looked at him, suddenly nervous.

 

“What is it?” she asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Loki answered, glancing back the way they had just come. He had a horrible feeling, however, that he did know, so he quickly dismounted and motioned for Georgiana to stay where she was as he squinted into the forest.

 

Georgiana felt her heart begin to race. “Loki..?”

 

Both of them could hear a heavy breathing now, somewhere close by, and both their horses were looking slightly nervous too. Loki quickly tied Gyllir’s reins to Léttfeti’s and looked up at Georgiana.

 

“Go back to the palace,” he told her. “As quick as you can. Don’t wait for me.”

 

Georgiana suddenly felt frightened. “What?”

 

“Just do it,” Loki said, firmly, whipping his dagger free of its sheath.

 

Georgiana quickly urged Léttfeti forwards and Gyllir obediently followed. Behind her, she heard the sound of something suddenly crashing through the trees, knocking most of them down from the sound of it and she urged both horses to run faster. Then it suddenly occurred to her that Loki might be in danger, so she pulled the horses to a halt and turned her head.

 

It was a Bilgesnipe.

 

She had never actually seen one close to before, but she had seen enough pictures and overheard enough descriptions from the Duke and his friends to know one when she did see one. It was huge and repulsive, scaly and with giant antlers that looked like that could kill a person with one blow.

 

And it was bearing down on Loki.

 

Loki for his part held his ground, knowing that it was best with these creatures to strike at the last minute. Bilgesnipes were known to be carnivorous and able to trample everything in their path, but they were also known to have slower reflexes than people or other animals, so it was always best to take them by surprise, let them think they had won before striking. At the last second, he ducked out of the way and lashed out with his dagger, catching the creature’s shoulder. The Bilgesnipe roared and spun around, and Loki just managed to roll out of the way in time to avoid being brained by one of its sharp antlers. A second later, its front paw came down on the spot Loki had just vacated.

 

Georgiana wanted to scream, but the sound stuck in her throat, so she simply watched, frozen where she was, as the creature attempted again to either impale Loki on one of its antlers or trample him to death with its enormous feet. Loki raised himself into a crouch, ready to spring to one side when the Bilgesnipe made its next move. It turned and raised itself on its hind legs, bringing both paws down in another attempt to trample him, but Loki moved, once again, at the last second. Annoyed at having missed him a second time, the Bilgesnipe roared indignantly and swung its antlers around again. The tip of one caught his shoulder as he danced to one side, but he barely noticed, leading the thing around in a circle. There was no hope of scaring it away, since Bilgesnipes didn’t scare easily, or give up for that matter, or praying it would get tired and leave; all he could hope to do was wear it out for a bit and then kill it.

 

The Bilgsnipe leapt at him, and Loki leapt back out of its reach, only to miscalculate his footing, stumbling and landing on his back.

 

Her heart in her mouth, Georgiana acted on instinct, throwing herself down from Léttfeti’s back and snatching a rock from the ground before flinging it at the Bilgesnipe. It hit the creature right in the face, and it roared again, recovered quickly and then turned its eyes on her. Loki looked over at her in alarm as she realised that it was going to come for her now instead, after all, she was unarmed.

 

The horses neighed in fright and took off, and Georgiana stumbled back as the Bilgesnipe leap over Loki and began to lumber towards her. Before it could get to her, however, Loki sprang up and threw himself on it, stabbing it in the back of the neck with his dagger. The Bilgesnipe reared in pain with a roar like thunder and threw him off. Loki landed on his feet, his dagger still in his hand, and made one swift thrust at the creature’s throat.

 

The Bilgesnipe fell instantly, its body thudding the ground so violently that it shook and Georgiana stumbled to stay on her feet. She stared at the now dead Bilgesnipe and realised that her knees were trembling. Loki crouched down and wiped the blade of his dagger on the grass before sheathing it, straightening up and turning to her.

 

“I thought I told you to run,” he said, his expression neutral, but his tone firm.

 

“I couldn’t,” Georgiana answered, looking up at him. She had felt scared, and yet at the same time, somehow she had known it would be alright, because she knew that Loki was brilliant at fighting. Overcome with emotion, she ran to him and flung herself her arms around him. Then, she stiffened and pulled away. “You’re bleeding!”

 

“What?” Loki glanced at his shoulder and saw that the Bilgesnipe’s antlers had torn his sleeve and blood was running down his arm. He found he was annoyed that it had managed to hurt him, but he brushed if off in front of her. “Oh, it’s just a scratch.” Georgiana looked doubtful and he looked straight into her eyes. “Georgiana, I’m fine.”

 

Georgiana hugged him again. “I don’t think I like seeing you hurt.”

 

Loki managed a smile as he hugged her tighter. “Really, I’m alright.”

 

She shuddered as she glanced at the Bilgesnipe. “It’s definitely dead?”

 

“Definitely,” Loki replied, extracting himself from her so that he could whistle for the horses. Gyllir always knew to come back to the sound of his master’s call, no matter what, and he would bring Léttfeti with him. Glancing at Georgiana, Loki rubbed her back, gently, and she looked up at him. “I told you before. Nothing can hurt you when I’m here.”

 

Georgiana nodded. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've no idea whether or not Bilgesnipes actually ARE carnivorous, but they must be bloody dangerous if they can trample everything in their path, so I used a bit of creative license here. 
> 
> Georgiana’s Dress (Under her Riding Dress): http://lianaspaperdolls.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/green-princess-gown.png


	18. "I Am Not A Hero, I Am Not An Angel..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda fluffy chapter, but I like it.

“This is a very serious accusation.”

 

“I know.”

 

“It could severely sever our relationship with Althrop if it isn’t true.”

 

“I know.”

 

“On the other hand though, it could be true.”

 

“I know-what?” Loki spun around amidst his thoughtful pacing, startled by his Father’s words.

 

Odin looked at him, gravely. “Riding accidents are easier to fake than people think, and if Georgiana’s remembering that incident right in her mind, well, the evidence points to him.”

 

Loki closed his eyes briefly, feeling a rush of pity for Georgiana. “He has a motive too...but could he really do that, to his own brother?” Odin raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. “I know he did do it, I can feel it...but I don’t want to believe it, for her sake.”

 

Odin looked thoughtful for a second and then got to his feet. “Don’t say anything else to her about it, not for the minute.”

 

Loki nodded. “What’s going to happen?”

 

“I’m going to find out what happened once and for all,” Odin answered. “For now, though, it’s best for Georgiana if she remains in the dark about our investigations.”

 

“She’s had enough excitement for one day,” Loki agreed.

 

Odin smiled, fondly. “I understand you two took on a Bilgesnipe between you?”

 

Loki shrugged with mock modesty. “It should have known better than to try and take us on.”

 

With a soft chuckle, Odin dismissed him, but his next words caused Loki to stop in his tracks.

 

“If this meant that you and Georgiana would have to break your betrothal, would you let her go?”

 

Loki turned, his expression solemn. “If I had no choice. But I would still fight for her.”

 

Odin nodded and let him leave, before calling for his guards. This investigation would take some time.

 

Georgiana, meanwhile, was trying to decide what to wear to dinner later that evening, when there was a knock at the door.

 

“Come in,” she called, absently, expecting it to be Loki, but to her surprise it was Frigga. “Oh, hello.”

 

Frigga smiled at her. “Bit of a rumour going around the palace that you saw your first Bilgesnipe today.”

 

“And last, I hope,” Georgiana answered, dropping the dress she had been holding back onto the bed and sitting upon it. “It was terrifying. But then...then I suppose I wasn’t really afraid because I was with Loki.”

 

She blushed and looked at her feet. Frigga smiled and moved a few dressed before sitting down beside her and taking both her hands. Georgiana looked up into the Queen’s kind face, so like her youngest son’s in its gentleness.

 

“I want to do something for him,” she realised. “To thank him. I mean, he’s always so kind to me, even though he doesn’t have to be...”

 

She trailed off.

 

“I don’t think he expects anything from you, Georgiana,” Frigga began.

 

“No, I know, but I want to,” Georgiana replied, quickly. “But I don’t know what to do.”

 

Frigga thought and then smiled. “I think I might have an idea,” she said, getting to her feet.

 

Georgiana listened and decided that she liked the sound of the idea very much. Frigga left her to get changed and went to make the necessary arrangements for the evening ahead. Georgiana, for her part, did as she was instructed, pulling on the dress Frigga had selected, and her green jewelled shoes, and opting to pull her hair down from its ribbon and wear it loose. Frigga sent some of her lady’s maids in to help her with her makeup, and to spray her with a scent of vanilla that smelled heavenly. Straightening the bodice of her dress, Georgiana slipped quietly through one of the secret passageways of the palace, as instructed by Frigga (Loki had shown her most of them during those rain days they had spent confined indoors) that she knew led to the balcony that looked over the grounds.

 

Frigga was already waiting for her and she beamed at her. “You look beautiful, Georgiana. I’m sure he’ll be very pleased.”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “I hope so.”

 

“Trust me, I know my son,” Frigga replied, squeezing her hand, before leaving the scene. Alone, Georgiana stepped to the railing and leaned carefully against it, looking up at the stars. It seemed another lifetime ago, that evening she and Loki had spent stargazing together. How far she had come since then, how much more confident she had become in his presence.

 

A shudder ran through her as she wondered what her uncle would make of her if he could see her now. He would probably tell her that she didn’t deserve any of it.

 

But why? Why did he hate her so much?

 

She pushed that thought to the back of her mind. It didn’t matter. Here in Asgard, she was away from all that, with people who actually liked her, people like Frigga and Odin and Thor and his friends and Loki...

 

Loki most of all.

 

“Loki!”

 

Loki was brought up short by his brother’s voice as he reached the dining room. He turned to see Thor coming up to him.

 

“Can you spare a minute?” he asked, reaching him.

 

Loki blinked at him. “Thor, I’m hungry and Georgiana’s in there with a load of people she barely knows. Can’t it wait?”

 

“No, it can’t,” Thor insisted.

 

Loki sighed. “Well, what is it?”

 

“This way,” Thor replied, heftingMjolnir onto his shoulder, pivoting and walking off in the opposite direction.

 

“Well, wait!” Loki muttered with a sigh, hurrying after him. “Is it an emergency?”

 

“Not exactly.”

 

“Not exactly? What does that mean?”

 

“You ask too many questions, Brother.”

 

Loki blinked at him. His brother was acting a little too casual about all this. “Thor, what’s going on?” he asked, folding his arms.

 

“I’m not allowed to say,” Thor replied, shaking his head. “It’ll ruin the surprise.”

 

“What? What surprise?”

 

“Come on.”

 

“Look, what’s all this about?”

 

“See if you can guess.”

 

“Thor, you know I hate guessing; just tell me what’s going on.”

 

“No,” Thor grinned. “You’ll have to wait and find out.”

 

Loki sighed, heavily, but no amount of asking would get his brother to budge. So, he simply did his best to keep up with him, until they reached the corridor leading to the balcony that overlooked the grounds, where they were met by a grinning Frigga. Loki glanced at both of them and stopped, arms folded. “Alright, I’m not moving from here until one of you tells me what’s going on right now.”

 

“Let’s just say you’re going to like it,” Frigga replied, before indicating for him to step onto the balcony.

 

With another sigh, Loki allowed curiousity to get the better of him and stepped through the curtain that led to the balcony.

 

His heart skipped over as Georgiana turned to him. She smiled and turned fully, allowing him to see the whole of the front of her dress.

 

“Hello,” she smiled, only a little shyly.

 

Loki took in what she was wearing. The dress consisted of two simple colours, his colours to be precise, the bodice strapless, green and trimmed with black, the skirt simply black and long, and as she took a step towards him, he saw that, once again, it was split up the side, revealing most of her smooth, pale leg as she moved. Her eyes were lightly made up in green with shimmers of gold and her lips were painted the colour of ripe strawberries, drawing even more attention than usual to her mouth.

 

She looked amazing.

 

He smiled back at her and then took in the already set table beside her. “We’re eating out here?”

 

“Just the two of us,” Georgiana confirmed. “It’s, well, it’s sort of my way of saying...thank you...f-for...” She wanted to kick herself for suddenly stammering in front of him when she hadn’t done that for ages. “Everything,” she finished, lamely, suddenly wishing the ground would swallow her up, knowing that she must be blushing again.

 

Loki walked up to her and took her hand. “In that case, I’m honoured. Especially when my dining partner looks so beautiful.”

 

Georgiana relaxed and returned his smile as he led her to her seat. Some servants came and brought their food, as per instructions from Frigga, Loki suspected, but he didn’t say that to her, simply smiled and thanked their servers. Georgiana crossed her fingers for luck beneath the table before they both began to tuck into their delicious meal.

 

“I forgot to say earlier,” she ventured, “I thought you were incredibly brave taking on that Bilgesnipe.”

 

“Well, it’s not my first time,” Loki replied, trying to sound casual although he smiled at her as he spoke, “but I still found it rather terrifying.”

 

“How do you get to be so fast, when you fight?” Georgiana asked.

 

“Plenty of practise,” Loki replied. “I think I’ve just got naturally fast reflexes.”

 

Georgiana glanced at her lap. “Were you cross with me? Because I didn’t run when you told me to?”

 

Loki thought about it before replying. “I was a little. I just wanted you to be safe. But then I realised that you could take care of yourself perfectly well.”

 

“All I did was make it angry,” Georgiana reminded him.

 

“Yes, but you also stopped it from trampling on me,” Loki pointed out. “If you hadn’t distracted it, I could have been seriously hurt.” He reached across the table and squeezed her hand, gently. “Thank you for that, Georgiana.”

 

She blushed as she whispered back “You’re welcome.”

 

Their attention was caught by a servant emerging from the palace interior with a tray topped with a pyramid of small round buns dusted with reddish-brown powder.

 

“Are those cinnamon buns?” Loki asked in surprise.

 

Georgiana nodded, shyly. “Someone let slip that they were your favourite, so...”

 

Loki squeezed her hand again as the tray was placed before them. “When you taste them, you’ll understand why.”

 

Georgiana smiled but waited until he had taken one before carefully selecting her own, not wanting to cause the pyramid to tumble down, and she found that he was absolutely right in liking them so much. They were wonderful.

 

“We need to do this again,” she said.

 

“As long as we have these, I completely agree with you,” Loki teased, and she giggled.

 

The way she looked at him sometimes, Loki wondered what she actually saw. Some kind of hero, or guardian angel, who always fought the most dangerous of beasts to protect her from harm? Of course he would always do that for her, no matter what, but he was just a man, no heroic figure of legend, no spiritual being with heavenly powers, just the man who loved her and wanted to keep her safe from all the dangers in the world.

 

When would be a good time to tell her that, though?

 

Would there ever be a good time to tell her?

 

His thoughts were interrupted as Georgiana quickly stifled a yawn with her hand, blushing in embarrassment.

 

“Excuse me,” she murmured, ducking her head.

 

Loki smiled. “I hope that’s because you’re tired and not because I’m boring you.”

 

She knew he was teasing her, but she felt the need to reply “You never bore me.” Her eyes met his and she felt his fingers lightly squeeze hers in a gesture of appreciation. He stroked the back of her hand, absently, and she found herself liking it, as usual.

 

“Can I ask you something?” she asked, her voice soft.

 

“Of course,” Loki murmured.

 

“Well...” She tried to work out where best to begin. “In that book I’m reading at the minute, the two main characters spend time together, like we do, except they call it courting. Is that what we’re doing? Right now?”

 

“Um...” To be perfectly honest, Loki hadn’t actually considered that their spending time together might count as courting. He supposed it did, after all they enjoyed spending time together, and they were betrothed. “I think it might be, yes.”

 

Georgiana smiled and ducked her head, shyly. “I’m glad.”

 

Loki looked up in surprise, and then smiled at her, lacing their fingers together as she glanced up at him. “Me too.”

 

Georgiana felt her heart begin to race when he said that. Courting, she and Loki were courting. She was being courted by a Prince who fought dangerous beasts for her, who always worried for her well-being, who kept her safe, always. Her hero. Her angel.

 

Her Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana's Dress: http://dolores-de-ville.deviantart.com/art/Ever-Dream-447505556
> 
> Georgiana's Eye Makeup: http://www.mattifycosmetics.com/s/cc_images/cache_2962762.jpg?t=1394213090
> 
> Georgiana's Lipstick: https://kotadducity.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/liquid-lipstick-multi-shades-lip-makeup-for-events-111.jpg


	19. "I Think I'm Falling For You..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

_She was back at that meeting point, wherever it was, not far from the palace, still thin, still covered in bruises and scars, shivering in the cold and nervous, wondering what her Uncle and Odin were saying to one another. The sky was still as grey as she remembered, the air as still and tense, so thick it could be cut with a knife, and for a second, it was like she couldn’t breathe, so nervous was she that she was just going to be cast aside and then severely beaten for failing to make a good impression._

_Then she felt a familiar warmth envelope her, his cloak, and she looked up to see him standing right in front of her. Suddenly she wasn’t nervous anymore as she fell against him and he pulled her into a tight, protective hug and her vision swarmed with green for a minute before she closed her eyes. The other voices became muffled, as though the pair of them were standing in some kind of magical, protective bubble, cut off from the rest of the world._  

 

_“You don’t need to be scared,” Loki murmured, his voice soft and soothing. “I will always protect you.”_

_Georgiana looked up, feeling warm and safe in his arms, and then her eyes fluttered shut again as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. It took her by surprised, because it was both gentle and caring, and yet at the same time passionate, almost addictive. She wanted more and it took them both by surprise when, a second later, she was the one to deepen the kiss. She felt like he was pulling her in, like a storm at sea, and she wanted everything he could give. When they eventually parted for air, she could feel the taste of him still lingering on her lips, and she resisted the urge to nuzzle into his shoulder like a cat or a dog._

_Loki raised his head and kissed her forehead, softly. “I love you,” he whispered._

Georgiana opened her eyes and was very aware that her first feeling of the day was disappointment that she was in her familiar bed, alone, and not back at that meeting place with Loki kissing her.

 

Dreams had the power to disappoint, she noted, pushing herself into a sitting position and brushing back her hair from her eyes. Last night had been wonderful, just her and Loki, and she felt a warm, squirming sensation inside at the memory of his confirmation that they were technically courting. It was a nice feeling, having someone like that to care about her.

 

For a second, she wondered idly why she had suddenly woken from her dream, and then she realised. In the dream, Loki had kissed her forehead and told her that he loved her. Ordinarily, she supposed, she wouldn’t make anything of that, and anyway Loki had recently made a routine of kissing her forehead in the real world, so that shouldn’t surprise her, but...she had had a feeling, when he had said that, as if it had been real.

 

As if it had happened before.

 

But that was impossible. Loki had never said anything like that to her after kissing her forehead; usually what he said was something like “I’ll be right back,” or even “Goodnight.”

 

Never “I Love You.”

 

So why did she feel like he had?

 

She pushed the blankets off her and padded to open the window, stepping onto the balcony for a breath of fresh air to clear her head. It really was a shame, she decided, that she had woken up before her dream was even over properly. She had never got to find out what her response to his admission would have been.

 

Did she love him?

 

She didn’t know. How did you know when you loved someone? It was impossible...

 

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

 

“Come in,” she called, knowing it would be Loki. If being in love with someone meant that you felt warm inside at the very thought of them, then perhaps she did love him.

 

Did he love her, though? And if so, why?

 

She felt his arms slide around her and she turned, burying her face in his front. “I had a dream about you last night,” she said.

 

Loki looked surprise. “Really? What was I doing?”

 

Georgiana smiled and hugged him tighter. “It was just about the day we met.”

 

Loki relaxed. “That’s good. I thought you might have had a nightmare about Bilgesnipes coming after you.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “No.” Then, she added, “Would you have let me get into bed with you if I had?”

 

“You know I would,” Loki replied.

 

With a small smile, Georgiana pulled away from him, even though she would have gladly stayed in his arms until she fell asleep again. “So,” she said, lowering her eyes, suddenly embarrassed by their long hug, “what are we doing today?”

 

Loki lifted her chin, gently, so that she was looking at him. “Well, I did have one idea, if you’re interested.”

 

“Go on.”

 

“It would involve leaving the palace.”

 

Georgiana nodded, wondering what it could be. “Well?” she prompted, softly.

 

“Well, you’ve never been to the theatre before, have you?”

 

“No.” He was playing with a strand of her hair as he said it and it made her blush, although she didn’t tell him to stop, she liked it. “A-A-Actually,” she confessed on a stammer, “I don’t even know what that is. I used to hear Bess saying that she...and my Uncle...were going to it, but...whenever I asked...” She broke off with a shiver and looked at her feet again. “She said I was stupid for not knowing.”

 

Loki ceased playing with her hair, his hand coming up instead to caress the back of her head. “Well, she was wrong,” he replied. “A theatre’s a building where people act out stories for entertainment.”

 

Georgiana blinked up at him. “So...we can watch them, instead of reading them?”

 

“Yes.”

 

She smiled. “That sounds good.”

 

“Good.” Loki took her hand and kissed it. “Usually they only have performances in the evening, but today they have one at midday, so...”

 

Georgiana giggled, shyly. “What should I even wear?”

 

Loki thought about it. “Well, it would be your first trip to the theatre, so perhaps you should have a whole new outfit.”

 

Georgiana had a feeling that it would be useless to protest. Even so, she was about to when there came a knock on the door, signalling breakfast for the two of them, and as the servants entered with the trays, Loki quietly asked one of them to send Frigga to the room when she was finished with her own meal. Georgiana shook her head with a small smile, remembering Loki once telling her that she deserved beautiful things, and then a rush of excitement went through her as she wondered what manner of dress Frigga would have commissioned for her.

 

Whatever it was, Loki would probably tell her she looked beautiful no matter what. He always did that, she reflected, and it always made her feel beautiful. She thought back to a few nights ago when he had told her she was the most beautiful woman in the room, and because of the fact that everyone kept staring at her, she had believed it.

 

And now, watching him watching her as they ate together, she realised that it was true. In his eyes, she was beautiful...and suddenly, she realised too, it didn’t matter what anyone else thought, it didn’t matter that her Uncle and Bess and anyone else she had ever met in her life before arriving in Asgard had always told her she wasn’t beautiful, had told her she was useless or worthless, because all that mattered was what Loki thought of her.

 

And if he thought the opposite of what they all thought, then it must be true.

 

Frigga came in when they had finished eating, and Loki got to his feet with a smile.

 

“I’ll leave you to it,” he murmured, kissing Georgiana’s forehead before leaving the room.

 

Frigga looked slightly bewildered, and Georgiana quickly got to her own feet with a nervous giggle. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she explained, shyly, “Um...Loki’s taking me to the theatre today and...well...he thinks I should have a new dress...because it’s my first time....”

 

The Queen of Asgard smiled, understandingly. “Well, he’s right, of course, this is a very special occasion. In fact, I think a whole new outfit is in order.”

 

“Oh, I don’t think...”Georgiana began, and then once again reminded herself it was pointless as Frigga was already summoning her dressmakers. By the time they had finished, Georgiana could hardly believe how lovely she looked in her new outfit.

 

“Now, I know it’s quite warm outside,” Frigga smiled, mischievously, “but I think you should wear this.” She held up Georgiana’s cloak. “Surprise Loki when you get there.”

 

Georgiana giggled as she took it. “Do you think he will be? Surprised?”

 

“In a good way, certainly,” Frigga replied, and they both giggled.

 

Loki was waiting for her outside, beside a large carriage. Georgiana recognised it as the same one that had taken her from that place where she had left her Uncle and begun her new life in Asgard. A vision of her dream flooded into her mind and she blushed before putting it out of her head and descending the steps with her cloak wrapped around her, her hood concealing her hair.

 

Loki looked at her in surprise. “Aren’t you warm wrapped up like that?”

 

She smiled, feeling a rush of confidence. “A little, but it’s worth it to keep you guessing.”

 

Loki’s eyes widened slightly and then he smiled before helping her up into the carriage. Georgiana felt a rush of excitement as she leaned back against the comfortable seats. Her first theatre experience. It felt like that scene in The Scarlet Veil where the hero and heroine snuck out to attend a ball they were banned from together, falling in love along the way, although of course neither of them would admit it then, they had to wait until the end of the story. She leaned against Loki as the carriage began to move, and he slipped his hand into hers.

 

“Are you excited?” he asked.

 

“Very,” Georgiana answered.

 

She became even more excited when the theatre itself came in sight. It was a tall building of red brick with a dome-shaped roof, the walls covered in posters for upcoming performances. As Loki helped her alight, she could hear excited chatter from the people around her who were spilling into the theatre and she gripped his hand a little tighter, feeling swept up by the grandeur of it all.

 

Inside, the building was just as beautiful, the walls and carpet red, decorated all around with gold gilt paint and the ceiling whitewashed and decorated with carved angels. To her surprise, instead of following the crowds through the large double doors that were marked above with a sign reading Stalls, Loki led her through a door to the left and up a flight of stairs.

 

“I have my own viewing quarters,” he informed her with a smile as she gave him a slightly confused look, before leading her into a box. “The best view in the building, actually.”

 

Georgiana gasped, softly, seeing they were seated high above the rest of the audience in a private balcony just for the two of them, and she could see the stage perfectly clearly. She gazed around the building, taking it all in, wanting the moment to last forever. “Loki...this is just...” She couldn’t find the words as she sank into the nearest seat and turned to look up at him. “Thank you for bringing me here.” Then, remembering she still had her cloak on, she got to her feet, brushed back her hood and unfastened the ribbon closing it, draping it off herself do that he could see what she was wearing.

 

Loki was more than impressed. Her dress was light blue, icicle blue some would say, long and flowing, and looked wonderful on her, with a neckline that rested just below her collar bones at the front and halfway down her back from behind. Her gloves were the same colour, and so were her new jewelled shoes, although they didn’t quite have the same allure for him as her green ones, but they still looked beautiful on her petite feet. Her hair was tied in a style where the front strands were pulled back and fastened with small jewelled clips with the rest hanging in loose curls. Her eyes were outlined in sparkling blue powder and her lips were painted a delicate dusky pink colour.

 

She looked like a princess.

 

“You are breathtaking,” he told her.

 

Georgiana smiled. “Thank you.”

 

“I’m going to have to make sure that all the men in here keep their hands off you,” Loki added, taking her hand.

 

Georgiana giggled. “But you would always protect me, wouldn’t you?”

 

“Always,” Loki promised, and then the lights began to darken. Georgiana frowned and then realised that the show was about to begin, so she looked towards the stage as the red curtain lifted and the first actors began their lines. She soon lost herself in the magical story of a young princess escaping in disguise from her wicked stepfather who wanted to marry her off to a man who was clearly evil, aided by a helpful fairy, and culminating in her meeting and marrying a kind prince who loved her for herself and not for her beauty. It reminded her of one of those fairytales Loki had read her when he had been teaching her how to read, and she loved every minute of it.

 

“That was magical,” she whispered amid the applause.

 

“I knew you’d like it,” Loki murmured back with a smile.

 

“No, I didn’t,” Georgiana replied. Loki looked at her in surprise and she smiled. “I loved it.”

 

The wind had picked up a little by the time they reached the palace, and she wondered whether that was a bad thing. The weather had been so calm earlier, and in her experience wind usually meant something bad was coming. She shuddered and drew her cloak closer to herself, praying it would soon pass.

 

Loki noticed her discomfort and caught her arm, gently. “Hey,” he murmured, softly, “are you alright?”

 

Georgiana nodded, trying to convince herself that she was. “Yes, I’m fine, just a bit cold.”

 

Loki drew her into a hug and she snuggled against him, feeling her heart racing. She would be alright, she decided, because she had Loki. She was always alright with him. She loved him being near, she loved being with him, she loved...

 

“Your Highness?”

 

They looked up in surprise to see one of Odin’s guards approaching them. He nodded curtly to Georgiana before turning to Loki.

 

“Beg pardon, Sir, but the AllFather wants to see you urgently in the Throne Room. Just you.”

 

Loki frowned but nodded. “Alright, I’ll be right there.”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “I’ll be in the library.”

 

Loki watched her slip out of the corridor before making his own way to the Throne Room. He was surprised to find that Odin was not alone, as he had expected, but gathered with Frigga, Thor and the rest of his guards. The one who had summoned Loki slipped into the room behind him and closed the doors.

 

He frowned. “What’s going on?”

 

Thor shrugged, indicating he was just as much in the dark, and Frigga’s own deep, thoughtful frown indicated that she too was confused.

 

Odin looked to the Captain of his guards. “Will you please tell my wife and sons what you’ve just told me?”

 

The Captain stepped forwards, stood to attention and addressed the Queen and Princes, although his words were directed towards Loki.

 

“I’m afraid, Your Highness, that we have concluded our investigations into the matter of the former Duke Cavendish’s death.”

 

Frigga and Thor now looked even more confused.

 

 _So soon?_ Loki wondered. “And?” he prompted.

 

The Captain took a deep breath. “It was no accident, Sire. The late Duke _was_ murdered...by his own brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Dress: http://www.jjshouse.co.uk/A-Line-Princess-Cowl-Neck-Floor-Length-Chiffon-Bridesmaid-Dress-With-Ruffle-007059428-g59428?utm_term=59428&utm_size=06&ggsub=pl&ggntk=g&ggcid=74649406596&ggkey=&ggpos=1o5&ggdev=c&ggdevm=&ggplm=&ggtgt=&gclid=Cj0KEQiAyvqyBRChq_iG38PgvLgBEiQAJbasd0cElC1i4qbCHVrNg15nd4ZlLo4Wa6JoFaSDycl6POwaAmnb8P8HAQ
> 
> Georgiana’s Gloves: https://steampunkwolf.com/wp-content/uploads/armwarmers091b.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Shoes: http://charliecoshoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/light-sapphire-crystal-low-heels-2-inch-wedding-shoes-300x300.jpg 
> 
> Georgiana’s Eye Make Up: http://youne.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Glitter-Green-Make-up-preen-me-look-18757001.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Lipstick: http://www.glamupgirls.com/images/uploads/f3ff7f26e8fa2a71ae7d4a631c1fff43.png
> 
> Georgiana’s Hairstyle: http://modernweddingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/latest-fashion-half-up-half-down-hairstyles-for-really-long-hairs.jpg


	20. "I'm Here, Don't You Fear, Little One..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

Loki couldn’t have been more startled if Georgiana had suddenly kissed him. He had been expecting something like this, but it still shocked him to the core.

 

“Do you know that for a fact?” he managed to say.

 

The Captain nodded. “All evidence points to it not being an accident, your Highness. And it all points to the current Duke. The saddle was cut through, it transpires, and the servants were paid to stay quiet.”

 

Frigga stared at him. “But then, that means...”

 

She looked at Odin for confirmation. Odin nodded. “Murder strips Duke Cavendish of any legal right to the rule of Althrop. It’s in Georgiana’s hands now.”

 

“In other words,” Thor realised, “he’s had no legal claim of power over the country all this time, and any laws or declarations he’s made over the past years can be undone.”

 

Loki shuddered. “Including me marrying Georgiana.”

 

Odin looked over at him. “Not necessarily, if it’s still what she wants.”

 

“But she’s her own person now,” Loki reminded him. “No one can make her do this. If she wants, she can break it off. She has the power to do that now.”

 

Odin turned to his Captain. “You and your men have done very well, Captain. If not for you, this crime might have gone unnoticed.”

 

“Thank you, AllFather,” returned the Captain, accepting the praise as he stood to attention. Once he had been dismissed, Odin turned back to his family. “The Duke now stands accused of murder, and for that he must be brought to justice.”

 

Loki looked surprised. “Can we do that?”

 

Thor grinned at him. “Clearly you’ve forgotten we’re the Royal Family, Loki.”

 

Loki managed a small smile. “Yes, but the Duke isn’t under our jurisdiction.”

 

“No,” Odin agreed, “but Georgiana is, and this has wronged her. Therefore we have the legal right to bring the murderer of her Father to justice.”

 

Loki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This day had suddenly gone from wonderfully trouble-free to terrifyingly macabre. “She’s going to be crushed,” he said.

 

“We can’t not tell her, Loki,” Frigga pointed out.

 

“I know,” Loki replied. He glanced at them all. “It should be me that does it, though. She needs to know she can trust me to tell her truth. Always.”

 

Odin nodded, thoughtfully. “Don’t say anything about it to her now, though. Let her know in the morning. Don’t spoil a good day with something like this.”

 

Loki nodded. “You’re right. I’ll tell her in the morning.”

 

No one spoke for a minute, and then Thor said, numbly, “I can’t believe it. I mean, you know, I could believe that he could hurt Georgiana, but I can’t believe he’d actually kill someone, and his own brother.”

 

“I can,” Loki replied, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. His expression was dark. “Anyone who could hurt an innocent young woman is just pure evil. Who knows what else he’s capable of.”

 

Odin nodded and got to his feet. “The sooner we get this dealt with, the better.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Frigga asked.

 

“Have him arrested and brought for trial,” Odin replied. “I want to hear it from his own mouth. I’ll send the guards out after dinner. Thor, will you and Sif and the Warriors Three go too?”

 

Thor nodded. “I’ll call them.”

 

Odin patted Loki’s shoulder. “Go to her.”

 

That was all the encouragement Loki needed to leave the room and make his way to the library. Inside, he was surprised to see Georgiana not reading but writing something on a spare scrap of parchment. He watched her for a while, watched the concentrated expression on her face as she formed words on a previously blank page, before he stepped over to join her. At his approach, she jumped abruptly and looked up, dropping her quill. Then, she smiled, shyly. “Hello.”

 

“What’s that?” Loki asked, reaching over and retrieving the page.

 

“Oh, no, it’s nothing...” Georgiana stammered, awkwardly, but Loki was already reading it to himself.

 

_“_ _We chase the pieces of the sky,_

_“Where light falls like a bridal veil,_

_"Illuminating the darkest day,_

_“With its glittering trail,_

_“From earth to sky; Valhalla’s light._

_“We see and feel but can't hold._

_“Though we try to capture days forever,_

_“They move on and we grow old...”_

 

Georgiana blushed and ducked her head. “It’s silly, I know, it’s just something I came up with ages ago...”

 

Loki sat down beside her, laying the parchment on the table. “Georgiana, this is good. I didn’t know you wrote poetry.”

 

“Well, I don’t...I mean, I’ve never been able to...” Georgiana stammered. “But...I used to make them up in my head...when I was younger...”

 

“And you remember them all?” Loki asked.

 

Georgiana shrugged. “I used to recite them over and over when I got scared...it helped get through...” She shuddered and looked up at him, with another shrug. “Well...you know...” Loki grasped her hand and she managed a smile. “So, what did your Father want?”

 

Loki looked at her, her innocent little face, her wide, brown eyes, and knew that he couldn’t lie...but he didn’t want to tell her the whole truth either. “Something’s happened, something serious, but I don’t want you to worry about it. Not right now, anyway.”

 

Georgiana frowned. “Is it something bad?” Before Loki could answer, she added “Is it to do with me?”

 

“It does concern you, yes, well, it concerns all of us.”

 

Georgiana stiffened. “Have I done something wrong?”

 

“No.” Loki quickly grabbed both of her hands. “You haven’t.” Georgiana still looked startled, however, so he quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Georgiana, no one’s angry with you or anything.”

 

“You’re not sending me away, then?” Georgiana asked, her voice muffled as she clung to him.

 

“What? No!” Loki tightened his grip on her, one hand now stroking her hair, soothingly. “No one’s sending you away, Georgiana, I promise.” Georgiana said nothing. “Look at me,” Loki murmured, pulling away and cupping her cheek, gently. She finally did so and he caressed her face, softly. “You don’t really think I want to get rid of you, do you?”

 

Georgiana shook her head, relaxing against his touch, although she was also trying very hard not to cry. “No.”

 

“Good, because I don’t,” Loki confirmed, kissing her forehead. “Ever,” he added, softly, against her hairline.

 

She had yet to relax her grip on him, he realised, as if she was scared that suddenly something was going to come and snatch them apart forever.

 

“I want to stay with you.”

 

It came out as a whisper but Loki heard it and he relaxed inwardly.

 

“Georgiana, no one’s going to take you away from me, or take me away from you.” He looked straight into her eyes. “Do you believe me?”

 

Slowly, Georgiana nodded. “So, what-?”

 

“Don’t dwell on it,” Loki interrupted, gently. “For now. It can wait.”

 

She nodded again and exhaled, calm again. “Sorry, I just thought, when you said that...”

 

“I know,” Loki replied. Georgiana leaned against him and closed her eyes. Automatically, Loki ran a hand through her hair, massaging her scalp gently. He smiled, thoughtfully. “You really want to stay? With me?”

 

Georgiana nodded and snuggled closer to him. “I like being with you. I feel safe with you.”

 

Loki allowed himself a degree of hope. Perhaps she would still want to marry him, of her own free will. “Come on,” he murmured, getting to his feet and offering her a hand up. “Dinner. It’s our last night entertaining our guests, remember?”

 

Georgiana smiled and took his hand, before getting up and slipping her arm through his, allowing him to lead her from the room. She tried not to let the sneaking suspicion that something bad was about to happen bother her much through their Farewell to Our ljósálfar Friends dinner, although she couldn’t shake off the unease she felt entirely. But then, she kept reminding herself, Loki had said that he would never want to get rid of her.

 

And she believed him.

 

The next morning, however, things took rather a different turn.

 

The winds had picked up during the night, and when Odin woke the next morning, he found himself called upon by many of the townspeople who needed assistance with collapsed roofs or barns. Regrettably, Loki realised, he would have to put aside any plans with Georgiana, for the morning at any rate, because he, like his brother, would be needed.

 

“This shouldn’t take too long,” he told her as they made their way towards the front doors. “We’ve already got every soldier and guard helping out.”

 

Georgiana nodded. “Can I help at all?”

 

He smiled at her. “I shouldn’t think there’s much left to do, but thank you for offering.” It was Georgiana’s turn to smile then as he cupped the back of her head, leaned in and kissed her forehead, before Thor’s call of “Loki!” pulled him away.

 

“I’m coming!” Loki called back, making his way down the steps.

 

Georgiana followed, figuring there wasn’t any way she could make things worse by just standing and observing, although it did make her feel a little useless. It occurred to her then that perhaps if she walked a bit, it might at least _look_ as if she were doing something, supervising or making a report for Odin, and then maybe she could find some way to help. As long as she didn’t wander too far, she wouldn’t give Loki any cause to worry, and large part of her was also curious to find out what else had been damaged by the same winds that had merely rattled the windowpanes of the palace.

 

So, she started off along an unfamiliar street, picking her way carefully around debris in her faded-sea-green dress and riding boots, picking up a few bits here and there that looked to have been ripped from houses, tiles and scraps of glass, being extremely careful not to cut herself on any, and laying them to one side where their owners could come and claim them, and hopefully be able to do something with them other than let them lie there in wait to hurt someone.

 

The way she took led her right to the edge of the border of the city, and she was startled to see that the wind had blown the gates right open. She frowned. Usually whenever she and Loki exited through these gates, there were guards posted at them, but they weren’t here now. She had seen one of them helping out with Thor and the others, so she could only assume that the other was there too. Which meant then that the gates had been blown open after they had left...or had they?

 

With a frown, she decided to pull them closed. As she was doing so, however, someone suddenly seized her around the neck with one arm and the waist with the other, pinning her arms to her sides. Georgiana shrieked but it was quickly silence by a hand over her mouth as she was dragged back against the person as they leaned on the wall, their grip tightening painfully on her. Georgiana struggled and then felt her blood run cold as an all too familiar voice hissed in her ear.

 

“Quiet unless you want to make things worse for yourself!”

 

She stiffened. One half of her wanted to fight him off and run, shouting out for Loki at the top of her lungs, whilst the other knew that if she tried that, she would most likely be seriously hurt, and perhaps he would even hurt Loki too. She wouldn’t have put it past him.

 

So, for his sake, she quietened as the Duke shoved her back against the wall, his grip like a vice on her wrists.

 

“What do you want?” she whispered, desperately wishing that someone would suddenly appear and help her. And then she realised her mistake too late.

 

The Duke’s eyes clouded in fury and he seized her by the throat with one hand, the other gripping her hair so tightly that she whimpered. “Have you forgotten your respect for me so soon? Well?”

 

He shook her and Georgiana winced.

 

“No, Duke.”

 

Even as she said it, she wondered why she was doing this, why was she still letting him do this to her? She didn’t _have_ to be afraid of him anymore...except she _was,_ because now he was here, invading her world that she had thought was always so safe from him, and she was alone now with him.

 

She scolded herself for not having stayed put.

 

The Duke scowled at her. “So, you’re beginning to think that marrying a Prince makes you better than me, does it? You think that it’ll stop you from being the worthless little wench you’ve always been?”

 

His grip on her throat tightened, and she began to panic. How did she make him let go of her? He had hurt her many times before, but he had never done this, had never done anything that might potentially lead to him killing her.

 

The only thing she could think of to do was give him the answer she knew he wanted to hear. “No, Duke! I forgot myself! I’m sorry!”

 

Releasing her hair, the Duke threw her to the floor. Georgiana landed hard on her back, feeling her shoulder scrape something sharp on the ground, a stone or a piece of glass perhaps. Gasping heavily and massaging her throat, she pushed herself up to find the Duke glaring at her as he stood over her.

 

“I see he’s not been disciplining you enough,” he sneered. “Or have you learned to behave yourself at last, is that it?”

 

“Loki doesn’t hurt me!” The words came rushing out of her in a sudden burst of anger. “Because he doesn’t need to! He cares about me!”

 

The Duke laughed, cruelly. “You actually believe he can care about someone like _you?_ Someone so pathetic and clumsy?”

 

Georgiana felt torn between crying and shouting out that he was wrong. In the end, it was the latter that won.

 

“To him I actually mean something! He doesn’t beat me senseless if I knock something over, or kick me if I stumble over my words! He thinks I’m worth more than you seem to think, and I believe him!”

 

The Duke glared at her in fury as he seized her again by the hair and wrenched her to her feet. “You are not even fit to clean my boots, let alone marry a Prince!”

 

“He cares about me!” Georgiana cried.

 

“Really? Well, let’s put that to the test, shall we?” His hand wandered to her back and Georgiana tensed as he seized the neck of her dress before shoving her to the floor again. This time she landed on her hands and knees, hearing the back of her dress tear open as she hit the ground, hard. “When he finds you’ve been whoring yourself out on the streets, do you think he’ll care about you then?”

 

Georgiana threw back her head in shock, her eyes widening.

 

“No!” she cried, trying to get to her feet, but he kicked her down again and pinned her shoulder down with one hand whilst she felt the other throwing up the back of her dress. “No, please, no! No!”

 

In a panic, she screamed as loudly as she could, and almost immediately was rewarded with the sound running footsteps.

 

“Shut up!” the Duke hissed, shaking her, and then he immediately leapt to his feet as a cry of “Over here!” told them that whoever was coming was getting closer. Georgiana pushed herself up in time to see the Captain and a great many of his guards rounding the corner and sprinting towards them. She began to tremble with relief as he fell down beside her.

 

“Grab him!” he ordered his men of the Duke, who was too busy trying to get his breeches back up to think about running. “My Lady, are you hurt?” he added, urgently but not unkindly to Georgiana.

 

Georgiana was shaking too much to speak, so she shook her head. The Captain quickly shucked his cloak and threw it around her shoulders, before checking that his men had the Duke completely restrained. They did and he turned his attention back to Georgiana.

 

“Can you stand, my Lady?” he asked.

 

Georgiana thought about it. She really didn’t want to, but then if she didn’t, one of the guards would probably offer to carry her, and, kind as an offer as that was, she didn’t really want anyone but Loki to be the one to do that.

 

Loki...

 

Thoughts of what had almost just happened made her feel sick and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to go to him. So, bravely, she nodded and clambered shakily to her feet, keeping the cloak firmly around her trembling form.

 

“Take her back to the palace,” the Captain informed two of his guards. They both nodded and gestured kindly for Georgiana to walk between them. Unsteadily, she managed to do so, thoroughly ashamed of what had almost just happened and longing desperately for some way of shaking the feel of her Uncle still clinging to her. She realised then that she was crying, silent tears streaking her face, and she kept her head down as they made their way back towards the palace steps.

 

Sudden voices nearby caused her to look up.

 

“So, that’s it, then?” Loki’s voice. “That was less damage than I thought.”

 

“It’s not as bad as last lot of bad winds.” Odin’s voice. “Thank the Gods.”

 

A laugh. Thor. “I remember that!”

 

“You were four years old, Thor, how could you?” And Frigga.

 

Georgiana quickly threw the cloak off her and ran towards Loki. He looked up as she flung herself into his arms and began to sob, uncontrollably, his initial surprise immediately turning to concern as he noticed the guards behind her.

 

“Georgiana? What is it? What’s wrong?”

 

She couldn’t bring herself to say, so she said nothing, just clung to him. Loki noticed her torn dress and suddenly realised what must have happened. What truly both shocked and angered him was the sudden appearance of the Duke being dragged along by the guards, led by the Captain.

 

Odin stepped forwards. “Captain?”

 

“We heard Lady Georgiana scream and came running,” the Captain reported. “I don’t think it would take a genius to work out what was about to happen, your Majesty.”

 

Loki couldn’t hold back his anger any longer. Letting go of Georgiana, he threw himself at the Duke, unleashing all the rage towards him he had kept pent up for so long.

 

“Loki!” Thor seized hold of him and dragged him back. “Stop!” In a low tone, he hissed “It can wait! Georgiana needs you!”

 

Realising that his brother was right, and also that none of the guards had made any move to stop him knocking the Duke to the ground and hitting him repeatedly, Loki calmed immediately down and turned to Georgiana. She had her head buried in her hands, unable to bring herself to look at him. Frigga stepped towards her, but Loki got to her first, pulling her into a tender embrace before picking her up and carrying her back into the palace. Georgiana buried her head in his shoulder, willing the journey to last as long as possible. Sooner or later, she was going to have to look at him.

 

All too soon, however, they were back inside her room. She quickly untangled herself from him, muttering “I need to bathe.” Loki, however, caught her hand and she stopped but didn’t turn around. She was still visibly trembling, although she had stopped crying.

 

“Georgiana, look at me,” Loki murmured, turning her to face him.

 

She shook her head. “I can’t.” She could feel tears beginning to fall again. “I’m sorry. I should just stayed here. I shouldn’t have wandered off like that.”

 

“Georgiana, you have every right to,” Loki replied, cupping her face, gently, in both hands. She still wasn’t looking at him. “This isn’t your fault.” Hesitantly, Georgiana raised her eyes to his. He wasn’t angry with her, she realised, just worried about her. He noted the bruises on her neck and felt a surge of anger towards the Duke. “Are you hurting?”

 

Georgiana nodded, and then stammered “N-Not like that. It was when he grabbed me...and I think I cut myself...when he pushed me down...”

 

“Show me,” Loki murmured, gently.

 

Georgiana turned and felt a pang as she realised her dress was now ruined. She moved it where she had felt her shoulder collide with something sharp, and Loki bit back a gasp at the size of the bruise the Duke had left beside it when he had pinned her down. She was bleeding a little too where she had cut herself, a thin line of blood making a train down her shoulder blade. He didn’t know what angered him more, the fact that she was hurt, or the fact that the Duke had now effectively succeeded in making her terrified to trust anyone all over again.

 

“Am I bleeding?” Georgiana whispered.

 

“A little,” Loki replied, and he took her hand and led her into the bathroom. Seating her on the edge of the bath, he reached underneath the sink for a box that held emergency medical supplies and rummaged until he found a small cloth and a bottle of healing elixir. “This might sting a little,” he informed her.

 

Georgiana nodded and allowed him to heal her wound. Throwing away the small cloth, Loki wrapped her in a tight hug and she buried her face in his chest. “Loki...much as I want you holding me...I really need to bathe...I can still feel him on me...”

 

Loki nodded, and then, to her surprise, kissed the top of her head. Georgiana blinked up at him and he looked straight into her watery eyes, brushing away a few stray tears.

 

“He’s never going to touch you ever again,” Loki told her.

 

Georgiana shuddered and ducked her head. “I-I-I-can’t believe he almost-”

 

“But he didn’t,” Loki pointed out. “Because you were brave and screamed out.”

 

Looking back up into his warm green eyes, Georgiana suddenly knew she loved him. He didn’t hate her for what had happened, he didn’t _blame_ her for it, he wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, away from all the hurt that the Duke wanted to dish out on her.

 

She reached up and touched her neck. “Does...does it look awful?”

 

“It looks painful,” Loki replied, truthfully.

 

She shuddered again. “Loki, I was so scared, I thought...I thought he was going to kill me...”

 

The words came out as a whisper, and Loki wrapped her in a tight hug again.

 

“I should have been with you,” he muttered. “This is my fault.”

 

“No!” Georgiana tightened her grip on him. “I don’t blame you, Loki, please don’t blame yourself.”

 

“Then don’t you blame yourself,” Loki replied. “It isn’t your fault. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

 

Georgiana closed her eyes, knowing she had nothing to be afraid of now. She was back with Loki. He would never let anything like this happen to her ever again.

 

He would always protect her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Dress: http://www.eyescry.com/images/flower.grn.eyescry.jpg


	21. "Hold On Tight, Hold Onto Me"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously I'm using creative license here, because it's Asgard and therefore nothing like Earth. Ok? Ok!

By the time she had bathed and changed into a dress of green velvet with long sleeves, which made her feel protected, covered up, hidden from the wandering eyes of the Duke after what had almost happened to her, Georgiana found that she had stopped shaking. The bruises around her neck were still standing out against her pale skin, however, and each time Loki looked at them he felt a surge of anger towards the Duke for daring to touch her.

 

Neither of them had said anything for a while, but when Georgiana had finally pulled on her shoes, her soft indoor slippers a welcome relief from her outdoor boots, she tentatively ventured “What happens now?”

 

Loki knew what he had to say. It was going to be painful for her to hear, especially in light of what had just happened, but she needed to know. The Duke would now be held in the dungeons until he could be brought to trial, and Georgiana had a right to know about her true inheritance.

 

“Come here,” he murmured, taking her hand and leading her to sit down on the bed. Georgiana waited, patiently curious, looking at him with her eye very wide and expectant. “There’s something you need to know,” Loki told her. “Father had his guards look into it, and well, it turns out you were right.” Georgiana looked confused and he clarified “The Duke did kill your Father.”

 

Georgiana felt her stomach clench and she looked at her feet. “I had a feeling I was right,” she whispered, trying very hard not to cry. “Perhaps that’s why...he wanted to hurt me...to stop me from trying to...take back control of the estate from him or something...”

 

Loki hadn’t considered that, but it was a possibility, to break any rebellious spirit Georgiana might have developed growing up. It was very probable that he perceived her as some kind of threat. He pulled her close and Georgiana sighed, heavily, against his shoulder.

 

“He hates me,” she realised.

 

Loki stroked her hair, soothingly. “He’s not going to get near you again, Georgiana. Once he’s been brought to justice, he’s not going to be set free.”

 

Georgiana shuddered. “I thought it was over,” she whispered. “I thought that I was free.”

 

“You will be,” Loki murmured back. “Once this is all over.” Georgiana felt him kiss her hair, gently. “I promise.”

 

Something the Duke had said suddenly struck her and she pulled away from him. “Would you still care about me even if he had...succeeded?”

 

Loki was startled she even had to ask, and then he realised. “Did he tell you I wouldn’t?” Georgiana nodded, still keeping her eyes on the floor. “He was wrong.” Georgiana looked up at him at last, into his caring green eyes. “I care about you no matter what, Georgiana,” Loki told her, taking her hand and kissing it. “Nothing will ever change that.”

 

Georgiana felt herself relax at last as Loki got to his feet and helped her up. “You won’t ever leave me on my own?”

 

“I swear I won’t,” Loki replied.

 

For a second, he thought she didn’t believe him, that any trust she might have been close to getting towards him had been knocked out of her by the Duke, but then she stepped forwards and wrapped her arms about him, snuggling against him. Loki hugged her back, tightly, and closed his eyes.

 

“I will be right beside you in all of this,” he murmured. Georgiana nodded and then tucked herself into his side, wanting to be as close to him as possible. Loki looked at her. She was nervous, and rightly so. “But you don’t have to do this, if you won’t want to,” he added, realising that she might not. “Everyone will understand.”

 

Georgiana shook her head. “No, I want to...with you.”

 

Loki nodded. “Alright.”

 

He felt Georgiana tighten her grip on him as they left the room together. After all she had been through already, he had to admire her bravery, her willingness to see this through to the end, to face down the man who had made her life miserable for almost eighteen years. It filled him with a sense of pride, but how long could that last? Now she would no longer be under the Duke’s control, she didn’t have to agree to this betrothal any longer.

 

She could have her life back.

 

He pushed that thought to the back of his mind as they entered the Throne Room. Never had he seen every single one of the Einherjar guards in the same room at exactly the same time, not like this anyway. Each of them was standing to attention with their hands on their weapons. The Duke stood at the front of their party, shackled, his expression impassive. Georgiana ducked her eyes to the floor, not wanting to look at him. Loki quickly led her to one of the benches that were used whenever the Throne Room had to double as a court room. There was a barrier between them and the rest of the room and Georgiana felt grateful for that, it made her feel safer.

 

“What’s going to happen?” she whispered.

 

“Father’s been talking with the Duke’s Counsel all night,” Loki murmured, squeezing her hand gently. “The people who aid him in making decisions in Althrop. They know by now that he cheated you of your birthright, and I imagine he’s also filled them in on what happened this morning. They’ll be the ones to strip the Duke of his rights.”

 

Georgiana looked up at him, nervously. “And then what?”

 

“Well, then, it’s yours,” Loki replied.

 

Georgiana ducked her head, trying hard not to start shaking. The thought of being suddenly in charge of Althrop, to have all that suddenly thrust onto her shoulders, was terrifying. She had no idea what it took to do something like that, how could she, she had never had any experience.

 

The door opened suddenly, breaking into her thoughts, and she jumped, slightly, Loki’s hand in hers a reassuring presence. Looking up, she saw Odin leading a group of ten men dressed in official robes, Althrop style, and behind them, also shackled like the Duke, Bess. This time she did start to shake, it was bad enough one of them, but now they were both here...

 

“Georgiana,” Loki whispered, and she whipped about to look at him. “They can’t hurt you.”

 

“Because you’re here,” she whispered, remembering him telling her that when the Duke had thrown that rock through her window, and when they had been attacked by the Bilgesnipe. Both times she had felt protected, because of him. Loki nodded, gently, and she quickly pressed closer to him, burying her head in his shoulder. He was right, she knew; he would defend her if the Duke even _looked_ at her right now. Loki kissed the top of her head and threw the Duke a venomous look of contempt. He was met with a similar one from the Duke and quickly wrapped his free arm around Georgiana’s waist, holding her close, comfortingly.

 

“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered to her.

 

Again, she nodded and then turned her attention over to Odin. Frigga had come in now and she was walking to stand beside him. Thor, who came in last, however, made his way over to them and sat down the other side of Georgiana.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked Georgiana, quietly.

 

She nodded, tightening her grip on Loki’s hand. Loki mouthed “Thank you,” to his brother over the top of her head. Thor nodded and then leaned back with his arms folded, one hand gripping the handle of Mjölnir just in case he needed to use it at any point.

 

Loki prayed that he would, on the Duke.

 

“William Cavendish,” announced the man who appeared to be the leader of the Counsel, “Fifth Duke of Althrop, brother to the late Duke John Cavendish of the same, you stand here today accused of the crimes of murder, abuse and attempted rape.” Loki felt Georgiana twitch beside him and he gave her hand a squeeze. “I would ask you how you attempt to plead, but I think it’s perfectly obvious you will choose to deny these accusations. Do you have anything to say in your defence?”

 

“Only,” the Duke replied, tightly, shooting Georgiana a look, “that nothing I have ever done has been without good reason.”

 

“Good reason?” It was Odin who spoke, in his calm but stern way. “You claim to have a good reason for killing your brother, and subjecting his daughter to a lifetime of abuse?”

 

“I have done nothing to anyone that they didn’t deserve,” the Duke spat.

 

Loki bristled. “Hold me back, Thor,” he muttered.

 

“Can’t, there’ll be no one to hold _me_ back,” Thor muttered back.

 

“Who could ever deserve to be killed?” the Counsel Leader asked, his tone hard. “Or to be beaten and bruised for their entire life?”

 

The Duke said nothing.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with showing a bit of discipline towards a disobedient wretch!” Bess had finally decided to speak up. “If _she,”_ and here she gestured defiantly towards Georgiana, “has ever been punished, it has been for good reason!”

 

“For human error, you mean?” the Counsel Leader countered. “For knocking something over or forgetting to address someone properly; you think petty reasons like that good enough to abuse someone over? Lady Georgiana has done nothing to deserve such treatment in any form, be it physically or sexually, not as far as anyone else in this room can see, at any rate.”

 

“Blind fools,” Bess muttered, and was instantly silenced by a tug on her shackled from the guards and a look of fury from Odin.

 

“There is a clear difference between disciplining a child and abusing them,” the Counsel Leader went on, “especially when said child is no longer young enough to be counted as a child any longer.”

 

The Duke sneered at him, casting his eyes around the group. “And each and every one of you is on _her_ side? Every single one of you actually believes she is worth all this fuss? She should have been drowned at birth.”

 

Loki got to his feet. Thor got up too and held him back with one arm.

 

“Don’t,” he muttered.

 

“Thor-!”

 

“Don’t!”

 

Conceding defeat, Loki sat back down again, feeling Georgiana reaching for him. He quickly wrapped her in a hug, watching the Duke closely. Thor waited a beat in case his brother changed his mind, and then, deciding it was safe, seated himself back down again.

 

“I would be careful what you say, Duke, if I were you,” Frigga told him, coolly.

 

The Duke scoffed. “You’re deranged, all of you. She’s nothing, completely worthless.”

 

“So you pass her off to Asgard to keep her away from her true inheritance?” Odin said. “Thinking she would be our problem, then, not banking on any of us actually caring about her?” Georgiana raised her head, slowly, and looked over at him. “Truth is, apart from the two of you, there’s not a person in this room who doesn’t care about Georgiana Cavendish, and the only ones who are deranged are you two.”

 

“If you truly have nothing to offer up in defence of your actions, other than petty excuses which in themselves don’t even count as excuses, then there is no choice but the Counsel to refer to their decision made yesterday evening,” the Counsel Leader added. He unrolled a scroll of parchment that Georgiana had only just noticed he was carrying and read aloud. “The Decision to Strip the Current Duke of Althrop of Title and Rights to the Rule of the Country, as signed by all ten Counselees of Althrop.” The Duke’s face became ashen as the Leader lowered the scroll and added “Before this bill is passed, though, and we all know that it cannot be until it bears my signature and seal, I must ask if any of the Counsel have changed their decision about this, and wish to withdraw their name from it, because once I have signed, it will be valid and unbreakable.”

 

Georgiana held her breath, praying that none of the Counselees would move to have their name struck from the list. But none of them did.

 

“You cannot do this!” the Duke growled, attempting to surge forwards to snatch the scroll, but he was held back by the guards. One of them hit him with a spear, causing him to double over.

 

“Try anything like that again-!” he warned.

 

“Alright, Njord,” the Captain interrupted, steadily, and Njord stood quickly to attention with a mutter of “Sir.”

 

The Counsel Leader signed the scroll with a flourish and a candle was brought for him to apply his seal. He turned to Odin. “As of now, this man,” he said, waving a hand in the Duke’s direction, “is nothing more than a common criminal, and since he has committed, or rather attempted to commit, a crime on Asgardian soil, I believe it is up to your jurisdiction to administer punishment, AllFather.”

 

Odin nodded and stepped forwards. “William Cavendish, as previously stated, you have been accused of the crimes of murder, abuse and attempted rape, and whilst only one of these took place here in Asgard, you may consider your permanent incarceration as punishment for all three crimes, for you and your accomplice,” he added, turning an eye to Bess.

 

“Althrop belongs to me!” the Duke snapped.

 

“Not according to this, it doesn’t,” the Counsel Leader replied, waving the scroll at him. “Everything of the late Duke’s legacy now belongs to his daughter.” He turned to Georgiana and gave her a respectful nod. “My Lady. I look forward to taking charge from you from now on.”

 

The other Counselees also turned and nodded to her in the same fashion, their meaning clear; they were in complete agreement with their leader.

 

The Duke shot Georgiana a glare, and suddenly she felt a rush of courage.

 

“Captain,” Odin said, turning to his Captain of the Guards. “You know the procedure by now.”

 

“Yes, your Majesty,” the Captain replied, ready to lead the Duke away.

 

Georgiana was on her feet before either Loki or Thor noticed that she had moved, and she suddenly ran up to the man who had made her life a living Hel for seventeen years, who would make it Hel for her no more. The Duke looked surprised as she stopped in front of him, although his thunderous glare still remained.

 

“All those years,” Georgiana said, her voice trembling slightly, although she stood her ground, “all that time you hurt me and made me afraid of everything; why? What did I ever do to you?”

 

The Duke scowled at her. “Exist,” he spat.

 

What happened next, well, not even Loki had been expecting it, as Georgiana brought back her hand and struck the Duke across the face. So hard and unexpected was the force of her blow that he almost fell to the ground, with only the two guards either side of him holding him upright. One of them grinned at her “Well done, my Lady.”

 

“You little-!” Bess made to rush at her but was likewise restrained by the guards.

 

Georgiana turned and fled from the room.

 

Odin smiled as he turned to his Captain and nodded, gesturing for him to take the Duke and Bess to their cells, their permanent residences. “Well?”

 

Thor nudged Loki. “Go,” he muttered.

 

Loki needed no second prompting as he hurried after Georgiana, catching up with her halfway down the corridor. “Georgiana!” He caught her arm. “Wait!” Georgiana turned and flung herself into his arms, sobbing. “It’s over,” Loki whispered, stroking her hair as he held her. “It’s all over now. You didn’t deserve any of it, you know you didn’t.” He kissed the top of her head. “None of what he said matters.”

 

“I know, but that’s not why I’m crying,” Georgiana whispered.

 

Loki frowned. “What is it? Tell me.”

 

“My hand really hurts.”

 

Fighting the urge to laugh, Loki stepped back and took her hand in his, rubbing it gently. “You know, Sif is going to be very annoyed that she missed you doing that,” he smiled.

 

Georgiana managed a smile despite her tears. “I don’t know what came over me. I just...stopped being scared of him.”

 

Loki kissed her palm and then wiped her tears with his free hand. “I’m proud of you,” he murmured. “I couldn’t have done what you just did. You really are the bravest person I've ever met in my entire life.”

 

Georgiana snuggled back into his arms. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” she whispered, “holding me.”

 

“I will always hold you when you need me,” Loki promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Dress: http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/32217253508_1/Runway-women-s-dresses-2014-black-green-purple-velvet-dress-sexy-side-slit-boat-neck-sash.jpg


	22. "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I'm afraid; tried to make it longer but it just couldn't be done!

For the first time in her life, Georgiana felt like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Even through all of Loki’s support and care, the birth of her newfound confidence, she had always felt like the great shadow of the Duke and his abusive ways had been hanging over her, stalking her like some kind of Guardian Demon, waiting to strike the second she let her guard down.

 

But now, she felt free, finally.

 

“What happens now?” she asked.

 

Loki had known that she was going to ask that sooner or later, but that didn’t make the tight feeling in his chest any less painful.

 

“Well, legally,” he said, after a brief hesitation, “you now hold rule over Althrop.”

 

Her eyes widened, slightly. “But I don’t know anything about ruling a country!”

 

“You’ll have help,” Loki reassured her, stroking her hair back from her face, gently. “You heard all the Counselees in there, they’re behind you all the way.” A thought struck him suddenly. “Then again...”

 

Georgiana’s head shot up. “What?”

 

“Well, the whole purpose of us being betrothed,” Loki replied, slowly, “was to strengthen ties between Asgard and Althrop, and the way that would have worked before, the Duke would still have held Althrop’s power. But now you hold it, and if you did still want to marry me, then legally you could hand over rule of Althrop to Asgard...if that makes sense.”

 

Georgiana nodded, slowly. “Yes, it does.” Then, she frowned. “What do you mean _if_ I still want to marry you?”

 

“Well, it’s your choice now,” Loki replied, shifting uncomfortably on the edge of the bed. They had retreated there after witnessing the guards leading the Duke and Bess away, the last time Georgiana would ever lay eyes on them, she reflected, and they were both sitting on her bed. “Before you didn’t get a say, but now you can...you can back out if you want to. No one can force you anymore.”

 

Georgiana looked away from him. “You think I won’t want to?” she whispered.

 

Loki reached for her hand, sliding his fingers between hers. “I just want you know that no one’s forcing your decision anymore.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Georgiana turned and met his gaze. “I told you,” she said, softly, “I want to stay with you. I feel safe with you.” After a brief hesitation, she flickered her eyes down to the space between them and then back up to his again. “I’d be honoured to be your wife. If you’ll have me.”

 

Loki wrapped her in a relieved hug. “Of course I will,” he murmured. He could feel his heart racing as he stroked her hair, and wondered if Georgiana could feel it too. Georgiana smiled and closed her eyes. “I was so proud of you in there,” Loki added, softly, kissing the top of her head.

 

“I was proud of me too,” Georgiana murmured back, tightening her hold on him. Then, she giggled and pulled away from him. “I feel like I can breathe at last...after seventeen years.”

 

Loki smiled, still stroking her hair. “You’re stronger than they are, Georgiana.” His touch was very soothing, and Georgiana found it an effort to keep her eyes open. “Tired?” Loki asked, fondly.

 

“A bit,” Georgiana admitted, closing her eyes.

 

“Perhaps you should take a nap,” Loki suggested, before kissing her forehead and getting to his feet.

 

Georgiana opened her eyes and then pouted, playfully. “I thought you said you’d always hold me when I need you,” she pointed.

 

Loki looked at her in surprise and then smiled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you still needed me.”

 

“Yes, I do,” Georgiana murmured, making herself comfortable on the bed. She gave Loki a look and he lay down beside her.

 

“Why do I get the feeling I’m never going to be able to say “No,” to you?” he teased.

 

Georgiana giggled and then snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his chest. “Well, I can’t take a nap without my favourite pillow,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

 

Loki laughed, softly, and brought an arm around her waist, his other snaking about her shoulders, and carded his fingers through her hair. Soon he felt her breathing become deeper and slower as she was lulled to sleep. He felt his whole body relax as he closed his own eyes for a minute, his mind reeling.

 

She actually _wanted_ to marry him.

 

She _would_ marry him.

 

He couldn’t ever remember feeling so happy. He could picture it now, he could see their life together spanning across the years, the two of them, Georgiana, the people’s Princess, oh she would win their hearts just as she had won his, and their life together would be happy, completely, nothing less than she deserved...

 

When he opened his eyes, it was dark in the room. He blinked. Norns, he hadn’t meant to sleep. He was about to get up when he remembered that Georgiana was still snuggled against him, still fast asleep. He was just wondering whether to wake her or whether to try and slide out from under and leave her sleeping, when he heard her murmur something. Frowning, he glanced down at the outline of her pressed against him in the dark.

 

“Loki...I love you...”

 

Actually, in her unconscious state of deep sleep, it came out all rolled together as one word: “Lokeeilovyou...” but it was clear enough for him to work out what she had just said, albeit in her sleep. That didn’t make it any less real, or true.

 

He felt his heart rate pick up.

 

“I love _you,”_ he whispered, knowing that she couldn’t hear him, but that didn’t matter. “I love you so much, Georgiana, and I swear I will never abandon you, never.” Tightening his hold on her, slightly, he kissed the top of her head. “I will love you for the rest of my life.”

 

A sudden knock at the door made him jump, and finally jolted Georgiana out of her sleep. She sat up, startled, and then relaxed her grip on his tunic. “Who’s that?”

 

“Probably Thor,” Loki muttered, sitting up and stretching. He quickly lit the candle on the bedside table with a wave of magic. “It looks like we missed dinner.”

 

“Oh, that’s alright, I wasn’t hungry anyway,” Georgiana replied.

 

“You know, you were talking in your sleep just now,” Loki added.

 

Georgiana looked startled. “Really? What did I say?”

 

Thank the Norns he was the God of Lies.

 

“I don’t know, I didn’t catch it,” Loki lied, and she looked relieved, he noted.

 

“You two are alive then?” Thor’s voice came through the door. “Everyone was starting to worry.”

 

“Sorry,” Loki called. “Did we miss dinner?”

 

“Yes, but Mother had food set aside for you if you want it,” Thor called back.

 

With a smile, Loki got to his feet and opened the door. “Come in, there’s no sense in yelling through the door.”

 

Thor grinned and then turned to Georgiana with a gentle expression. “How are you feeling?” he asked, kindly.

 

Georgiana smiled up at him. “Much better than I was before.”

 

“Did you tell Sif about..?” Loki asked.

 

“Oh, yes,” Thor replied, knowing what his brother was referring to. “And she says she’s sorry she missed it. Oh, and Fandral also says that he hopes he never does anything to annoy you either,” he added with a playful grin.

 

Georgiana giggled. “Well, I can’t imagine I’ll get angry with him.”

 

Thor laughed and then glanced at Loki. “So...what shall I tell Mother about the food?”

 

“Oh, I’ll tell her myself neither of us feels like eating,” Loki answered. A small part of him was itching to get his brother on his own so he could tell him what he had just overheard. “Where is she?”

 

“Bedroom,” Thor shrugged.

 

Georgiana slipped off the bed and went up to Loki, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, which he returned, before pulling away and smiling up at them both. “Thank you for being there,” she said, “both of you.”

 

Thor laid a hand on her shoulder, and Loki found he was relieved when she didn’t flinch or brush him off. “You’re family now, Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana nodded and then turned to Loki. “See you in the morning,” she murmured.

 

“Goodnight,” Loki answered, cupping the back of her head and kissing her forehead. “Come and find me if you need me.”

 

“Goodnight,” Thor added, as they left. The second they were both halfway down the corridor from her room, he grinned at his brother. “So, what _were_ you two doing instead of eating?”

 

Loki flushed. “Nothing. We talked, and then we fell asleep.”

 

“Is that all you were doing?” Thor teased. When his brother didn’t answer, he became more serious. “Oh, come on, Loki, I’m jesting.”

 

Loki stopped, caught hold of Thor’s arm and brought him to a stop too. Thor looked at his brother in surprise, he seemed...stunned by something.

 

“She loves me, Thor,” Loki said, his eyes wide with the revelation. “She... _loves_ me.”

 

Now it was Thor’s turn to look stunned. “She said that?”

 

“Well, it was in her sleep, Norns only know what she was dreaming about, but she yes, she said it,” Loki replied.

 

The next thing he knew, Thor had given him a rib-crushing hug before he could protest. “I’m proud of you,” he stated, clapping his brother on the back, none too gently.

 

“Ow!” Loki exclaimed, rubbing the spot. “Easy!”

 

“Sorry,” Thor grinned. “So, I take it she wants to marry you, then?”

 

Loki smiled. “She told me that when she was still awake.”

 

“Have you told her how you feel yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well, you need to! She needs to know her love’s reciprocated!”

 

“I know,” Loki sighed. “I’m just...waiting for the right moment, I guess. When it can just be her and me and none of this unpleasantness that’s been going on lately.”

 

Thor nodded. “Yes, you’re right. Let her get settled, she’s had a long day today.”

 

“Leave her to her dreams,” Loki agreed.

 

Back in her room, Georgiana lay back in her bed, thinking hard, about all sorts of things, but not the events of the day, just...just things like riding and star-gazing and reading and dancing and splashing through a beautiful green pool and fighting a raging Bilgesnipe...all things to do with Loki.

 

She knew she was in love with him now, she was certain. In her dreams they had walked together, through meadows into a beautiful dawn, hand in hand, and when he had smiled at her, she had uttered those words that meant so much.

 

“I love you.”

 

She would tell him, she decided as she turned over and snuggled down to go to sleep, in time, when she could be certain that his feelings for her were as deep as hers were for him.

 

“Goodnight, Loki,” she whispered to the empty room. “I love you.”


	23. "This Kiss"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you've probably guessed, here there be kissing. Lots of kissing.

“Has he kissed you yet?”

 

Georgiana blushed. Several weeks had passed the trial and her confidence, as well as her feelings for Loki, had been growing, although she hadn’t worked up the courage yet to admit the latter to anyone. But it seemed that Sif had guessed, or else had some form of second sight that gave her an insight into Georgiana’s mind, and she felt safe confiding in her.

 

“Not properly,” she admitted. “He kisses my forehead a lot...and sometimes the top of my head...when he’s holding me.”

 

Sif rolled her eyes. “Perhaps _you_ should kiss _him,_ it might prompt him to speed things up a bit.”

 

“Sif!” Georgiana’s eyes widened.

 

“Oh, I didn’t mean that,” Sif laughed, and then frowned, thoughtfully. “Then again...”

 

Georgiana looked away from her. “I don’t think we’re quite ready for that yet. At least...I’m not.”

 

“Well, don’t worry, Loki wouldn’t push you into anything,” Sif reassured her.

 

Georgiana barely heard her as she murmured “Yes...” back, she was too distracted. It had been so hot that morning that when Thor had suggested they all go back to that place they had discovered together, behind the ruined temple, for a bathe, everyone had leapt at the chance. Sitting on a large rock in the middle of the lake, and dressed in a new bathing suit, white with blue trim, the legs of which reached down to her knees, Georgiana watched Loki, Thor, Volstagg and Hogun swimming around, and found herself longing to join them. She had managed to fake her way around not being able to swim so far, paddling a little before clambering the stretch of rocks leading to this one, to “soak up some sun,” and Sif, still dressed in her own marron bathing suit, had volunteered to sit with her for a bit. She focused on Loki, remembering the thrill that had gone through her at watching him undress with all the others. To say he wasn’t as muscular as his brother, he was very well toned and had muscle of his own, and she felt a tingling run through her whole body like a bolt of lightning as she remembered all those time she had been held against that chest, in those arms.

 

It made her feel like the luckiest woman alive.

 

“Georgiana?” Sif leaned forwards and then grinned at her. “Ohhh, of course, I’d forgotten you’d be checking out the view!”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly, knowing she was blushing again. “I can’t help it,” she murmured, glancing back at the group. “I’d never met anyone like him before I came here.”

 

Sif watched her expression, carefully. “You love him, don’t you?”

 

Slowly, Georgiana nodded. “Yes.”

 

“Well, then, you need to tell him,” Sif replied, giving her a gentle nudge.

 

“I don’t know how to,” Georgiana confessed.

 

Sif took a deep breath but before she could say anything, a pair of hands shoved her from behind. With an angry shriek of “Fandral!” she toppled into the water, and Georgiana began to laugh.

 

“Got you back, Sif!” Fandral called, and then to Georgiana, “You’re next.”

 

“What?” Georgiana tried to get up but it was too late as he gave her a shove forwards too. “No!”

 

Loki looked up in time to see her hit the water. His heart lurched.

 

“Fandral, she can’t swim!” he shouted, swimming over to her as quickly as possible.

 

Fandral immediately looked scared. “Oh, Hel!”

 

Under the water, Georgiana panicked, trying to struggle to the surface again, and then she felt herself pulled upwards. Coughing as she broke the surface, she clung to Loki as he hugged her tightly.

 

“It’s alright,” he murmured, softly, soothingly, “it’s alright.”

 

“Georgiana, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know,” Fandral gabbled.

 

“Idiot!” Sif shot up at him.

 

Georgiana shook her head and wiped her eyes. “I’m alright,” she managed to say. “Really. I just got scared.”

 

To Fandral’s credit, he genuinely did look rather guilty as he hurried over the jagged edges of rock to help her out of the water. “Really, Georgiana, I had no idea, you can slap me if you want to.”

 

Georgiana managed a giggle. “No, it’s fine, really. You didn’t know.” Loki hoisted himself up beside her, brushing her wet hair out of her eyes. She smiled. “Really, I’m alright.”

 

Fandral grinned, suggestively. “I’ll just leave you two alone, then, shall I?”

 

Loki promptly gave him a push and he toppled into the water with a startled yelp. Georgiana giggled again and watched the others swimming around below them. Loki noted the way her shoulders slumped as she did so.

 

“What is it?” he asked, gently.

 

“I wish I _could_ swim,” Georgiana sighed. “Then I wouldn’t have to be scared.”

 

Loki wrapped an arm around her waist and she looked up at him. “I can teach you.”

 

Her eyes widened, slightly. “Really?”

 

“Of course,” Loki replied. “It’s not difficult. Why don’t we come back here tomorrow, just you and me, and I’ll teach you?”

 

Georgiana smiled, shyly. “I’d like that very much, Loki.”

 

Loki was about to reply when they were both splashed by a rather indignant Fandral below. His laughter at their faces, however, was similarly cut short when Loki conjured an enormous wave of water that sprawled him back to the shore, and caused not only the pair of them, but everyone else to laugh at him too.

 

“Fandral, do you never learn your lesson?” Thor called over. “Don’t mess with a Master of Magic!”

 

“I know, you’d think I’d know better by now!” Fandral called back, resignedly.

 

Hogun glanced at the sky and then began to swim to the shore. “We should leave now, otherwise we’ll all freeze when the sun goes in.”

 

Loki and Georgiana picked their way back over the rocks as the others followed Hogun to where they had all left their clothes, Fandral getting another shock when he yanked on his undershirt only to find that a lizard had taken refuge there, and after an amusing little dance finally managed to dislodge the little reptile. Georgiana pulled her dress on quickly, realising just how comfortable she felt being around them all, being amongst friends who truly liked her for the person she was.

 

It made her feel warm inside.

 

“Well?” Sif whispered to her as they made their way back up the hill.

 

“Well, what?” Georgiana whispered back, confused.

 

“You and Loki. Did you..?” Sif sighed when Georgiana shook her head. “Honestly, do I have to bang your heads together or something?”

 

“Whose heads?” Loki asked, coming up beside them.

 

“These two,” Sif invented, quickly, grabbing hold of Fandal and Volstagg and ruffling their hair. “Get a move on in front, or we’ll be going back in time!”

 

“Very funny!” Volstagg retorted.

 

Georgiana giggled as Loki took her hand, silently thanking Sif for her quick thinking.

 

The next day, it was, if anything, even warmer outside than the day before, and Georgiana felt that a cool bathe in the lake would be nothing but sheer bliss. She realised that she was nervous too, however, nervous about actually swimming. How could she not be, when it involved floating off the floor, in-between ground and sky? She supposed that if she had been taught it at a young age, she would have been braver.

 

A knock on the door made her jump and then she relaxed, scolding herself for doing so. After all, it would only be Loki.

 

“Just a second!” she called, wriggling into her dress, pulling it on over her bathing suit before hurrying barefoot to the door.

 

Loki grinned at her. “Ready?”

 

“Nearly,” Georgiana replied, hurrying over to where she had left her boots. She paused halfway through lacing them up. “Loki, I’m a bit nervous.”

 

Loki crouched down in front of her. “About learning to swim?” Georgiana nodded. “You’ll be alright,” Loki insisted. “You were alright learning to ride, weren’t you?”

 

Georgiana smiled up at him. “Because you were with me,” she said, softly.

 

“And I’ll be with you now, so you’ve got nothing to be afraid of,” Loki replied, helping her to her feet.

 

Georgiana nodded, feeling braver already as they left her room and made their way down to the stables. By the time they reached the place, the sun was high and beating down even hotter than before. They both kicked off their boots and undressed in silence, Georgiana feeling her heart racing as she watched him tug off his tunic, before stepping into the water.

 

“How deep are we going?” she asked.

 

“About waist-deep should do,” Loki answered. Once they had stopped, he pulled Georgiana in front of him and turned her so that she was standing side-on to him. “Now, I’m going to have to tip you on your back,” he murmured. “You won’t sink, I promise, I’ll be holding onto you all the time.”

 

Georgiana nodded, mentally telling herself to relax. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She did become nervous, though, when she felt her feet lift off the floor. “Loki..?”

 

“Relax,” Loki whispered. “I’ve got you.”

 

She took a deep breath, and then realised that actually, it was a rather nice feeling, being lifted up off the floor like that, floating in mid-air...with Loki holding her.

 

“Are you alright?” Loki asked, softly.

 

Georgiana nodded. “Yes...this...this isn’t scary, like I thought it would be.”

 

Loki smiled. “Good, because now I’m going to let go of you.”

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t panic. You’ll be fine.”

 

“You said you’d be holding onto me.”

 

“God of Lies, remember?”

 

“Loki!”

 

“Look.” Loki slipped one of his hands out from under her. “You’re still floating, aren’t you? You need to believe that I won’t let you drown.”

 

Georgiana fixed him with a firm look. “If I sink-”

 

“I’ll catch you,” Loki finished.

 

She took a deep breath, relaxing in his touch and then nodded. After a brief hesitation, Loki slowly removed his hand. He was right, Georgiana realised, she wouldn’t sink, the water was holding her up. A moment later, Loki placed his hand back under her and tipped her back onto her feet. Georgiana looked up at him and forgot to be angry with him for deceiving her, when he had just helped her to realise she didn’t need to be afraid anymore, instead sliding closer to him and wrapping her arms around him tightly.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured.

 

“You’re welcome,” Loki murmured back. “Now I want you to try that again but on your front this time.” Georgiana nodded and allowed him to tilt her forwards. “Keep your head above the water,” Loki advised her. “Now, if you moved your arms and legs the way you saw us doing yesterday, you’d be swimming.”

 

Hesitantly, Georgiana brought her arms forwards. “What if I get it wrong?”

 

“You can’t,” Loki insisted. “Trust me.”

 

Georgiana moved, pushing her arms and legs the way she had seen Loki and the others do the day before. At first it felt hard and clumsy, but inch by inch, it became a little easier. With more confidence, she managed to circle back towards him and Loki caught hold of her as she reached him, beaming at her.

 

“You did it,” he said, hugging her tightly. “I knew you could.”

 

“It was alright?” Georgiana whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

 

“It was perfect,” Loki whispered back. “Now, let’s see if we can’t get you floating without my help.”

 

Little by little, Georgiana found herself becoming better at it, Loki patiently helping her when she asked, otherwise not getting involved at all, letting her work it all out for herself. Soon she was swimming as easily as if she had been doing it her whole life, and Loki watched her with a racing heart. She was truly amazing, he thought, the way she picked up on things so easily, even things that initially made her nervous.

 

“Let’s swim out to that rock,” he suggested, joining her and they both swam towards it, limbs beginning to ache a little by the time they reached it. Loki helped her up and then hoisted himself up beside her. Georgiana giggled, for no reason other than she was perfectly content. “Well done,” Loki murmured, brushing his hair out of his face.

 

Georgiana glanced at him, everything Sif had talked to her about rushing back towards her, almost as if her friend was really there, beside her, goading her on. Loki smiled at her and she took a chance, quickly leaned in and pressed her lips to his, before quickly pulling away and looking away from him, butterflies filling her inside. Her first kiss, their first kiss...Hel, had she just made a complete fool of herself in making the first move? She didn't know. Before she could say anything, though, Loki cupped her face, turned her to him and kissed her. Georgiana felt her eyes flutter shut as she parted her lips the way heroines always seemed to in books, allowing him access, and then found herself returning the kiss. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she settled for resting them against his chest as Loki pulled her closer to him, kissing her so deeply it was intoxicating, but she wanted it, she wanted more.

 

Eventually they had to part, although neither made any move to pull away as they caught their breath.

 

“I love you, Georgiana,” Loki said, softly.

 

Georgiana opened her eyes and looked up into his, deep brown staring into intense green.

 

“I love you too,” she said, without stammering or hesitating, because she knew it was completely true and there was no need for her to be nervous in telling him, and then she flung her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. “I love you so much.”

 

“And I love _you_ with all my heart,” Loki whispered, hugging her back.

 

Georgiana smiled and then pulled back from him, a curious expression overtaking her face. “So...we can kiss again?”

 

Loki laughed, cupping her face with one hand. “Georgiana, we can kiss as often as you want us to,” he replied, before kissing her again. With a little sigh of pleasure, Georgiana returned it, smiling as she felt him pull her legs over his so that she was sitting in his lap, his other arm sliding around her waist and holding her close against him. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment I met you,” he murmured, breaking the kiss for a second to look into her eyes.

 

With a smile, Georgiana reached boldly up and kissed him again before snuggling against him and closing her eyes. “All this time..?” she murmured.

 

“I didn’t want to scare you,” Loki replied, stroking her hair as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. “You were so nervous and vulnerable that first day, do you remember you thought I might hit you at one point?”

 

Georgiana shuddered and nodded. How far away that all seemed now, how far she had come since then. “Now I know you wouldn’t,” she whispered, tightening her grip. Loki kissed the top of her head and continued to hold her until she murmured softly “Loki?”

 

“Yes?” Loki murmured back.

 

“I’m getting a bit cold now,” Georgiana confessed.

 

Loki smiled. “Me too,” he admitted, uncurling himself from her. “Shall we swim back?”

 

Georgiana nodded. Hand in hand, they both jumped into the water and swam back to the shore to get dressed again. Her mind was in a whirl. Loki did love her, he truly loved her, and she realised suddenly that she had known, sort of, all along, without actually knowing she knew, the signs had always been there, she had just failed to read them properly.

 

And now...

 

Well, now she could see their future where she couldn’t before, filled with love, endless possibilities, everything she could ever wish for, and she would be sharing it with Loki, with one who had always stood beside her through everything, good and bad, and whose love for her was as strong as hers for him.

 

Tingling with delight, she rushed up to him and flung herself at him for a hug. Loki caught her with a laugh, spun her about once and set her back down on her feet as she pressed her lips to his again. Loki cupped the back of her head, gently, fingers tangling in her hair as he returned her kiss with the exact same amount of passion and desire.

 

“Loki?” Georgiana murmured, breaking away for a second.

 

“Yes, Georgiana?” Loki whispered.

 

She smiled up at him. “I can’t wait to marry you,” she breathed before Loki kissed her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bathing Suits: 
> 
> Style: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/410h69Cne7L._SL190_CR0,0,190,246_.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Colours: https://img1.etsystatic.com/011/0/5742445/il_570xN.423930501_i5op.jpg 
> 
> Sif’s Colour: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDU3Ng==/z/xBoAAOSwk5FU1lHF/$_35.JPG


	24. "I Love You And That's All I Really Know"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Mainly just a conversation between Loki and Georgiana, with quite a bit of kissing. Again! Sorry-not-sorry! Also I was watching Only Lovers Left Alive whilst writing this, so I was inspired for a scene with lots of affection and touching!)

It was like a veil had finally been lifted, a wall had finally been knocked down, a door had finally been unlocked. Georgiana felt her head was reeling and yet at the same time, everything felt more relaxed, any tension inside her was gone, everything was alright now. That first kiss had awakened something in her like a fire, and she knew that she definitely wanted more.

 

She smiled as Loki reached up to help her down from Léttfeti, a confident “Thank you,” leaving her as he did so.

 

“You’re welcome,” Loki replied, before kissing her once, gently. Warmth rippled through them both as they exchanged a smile, ignoring a few awe-struck looks from the stable hands as they left. After all, was it really anything strange for a betrothed Prince and his Lady to kiss one another? Not now, Georgiana realised, not ever.

 

They made their way up the palace steps and along the corridor that led to the dining hall, sharing silent looks that spoke volumes. Both were surprised, however, to find the room empty.

 

“Where is everyone?” Georgiana ventured.

 

“We’re probably early,” Loki answered. “Or else something’s held them up.”

 

He guided her to her seat.

 

“Always the gentleman,” Georgiana teased, lightly.

 

“Only around you,” Loki replied, leaning down and kissing her again.

 

The door swung open suddenly, and they both jumped, pulling apart, as Thor strode in, spotted what was going on...and grinned broadly at them both.

 

“Well, it’s about time!” he laughed. Georgiana knew she was blushing, yet for once it wasn’t through embarrassment as Loki straightened up before giving Thor a “What?” type of smile. “You two are certainly going to set a few tongues wagging,” Thor added, shaking his head as he made for his seat.

 

“What does that mean?” Georgiana asked, with a frown.

 

“It means people are going to talk,” Loki explained. “Because nothing in this place is ever secret for very long.”

 

“Oh,” Georgiana murmured, and then newfound boldness took over her as she added “Well, let’s give them something to talk about,” before pulling Loki down to her for another kiss.

 

“Didn’t want to see that!” Thor protested, throwing his hands over his eyes, elbows on the table. “Tell me when you’re finished!”

 

They ignored him, smiling into their shared kiss, barely noticing when the door opened again and it was only when Odin politely cleared his throat that they broke apart and looked up, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

 

Frigga merely offered them a knowing smile as she passed, along with a soft “Is everything alright?”

 

“Yes,” Georgiana answered, shyly, sliding her hand into Loki’s. “Everything’s perfect.”

 

Loki returned her smile before adding “Alright, Thor, you can look now.”

 

“Next time warn me,” Thor teased, lowering his hands.

 

Nothing more was said about it over dinner, however, although Thor did shoot his brother a teasing look from time to time, in fact once too often, which earned him a swift kick under the table. Georgiana barely noticed, however, too wrapped in her own thoughts, which were mainly of Loki, and when they could next be alone together.

 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long for that, and equally thankfully no one drew attention to the fact that Loki kissed her again before they left the room, or did anything to make her feel awkward. In fact, she had a feeling that, like Thor, Odin and Frigga had been waiting for this to happen, perhaps even praying for it.

 

“Will you stay with me tonight?” she asked before they reached her room.

 

Loki smiled. “Of course. We should get used to sharing a bed, after all.”

 

Georgiana giggled and then pulled him into the room. There were so many aspects to her, Loki realised, shyness, boldness, fear, curiousity, clumsiness, optimism, and he loved each and every one, because together they made up his perfect Georgiana.

 

She let out a startled squeak as he picked her up, suddenly, carrying her the way he had done when she had been bitten by that spider.

 

“What are you doing?” she giggled.

 

“Practicing,” Loki replied, with a mischievous grin as he carried her over to the bed. “I’m going to have to do this on our wedding night.”

 

“Oh!” Georgiana laughed as he set her down. “Well, thank you, but I could have walked to the bed quite easily myself, my love.”

 

Loki shrugged as he lay down beside her. “I like carrying you.” Then, he realised something. “Wait, did you just say “my love?”

 

The term of affection had tripped off her tongue so easily that she had barely noticed.

 

“I did, didn’t I?” Georgiana admitted, shyly.

 

Loki slid his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. “I like the sound of that,” he murmured with a smile.

 

Georgiana moved closer to him, wrapping an arm around him and laying her head against his chest. “Are we going to call each other that now?” she asked as Loki began to play with her hair.

 

“Possibly,” Loki replied, thoughtfully, “although I think most of the time I’ll just call you “my Georgiana.”

 

Georgiana smiled. “I like that. Being called yours.” She hesitated before added “You know, before I met you, I didn’t think it was possible to be loved, not for me, anyway. I always thought no one ever could.”

 

“Georgiana,” Loki began with a tired sigh.

 

“No, listen,” Georgiana insisted, making herself more comfortable against him. “That was before I came here, and I was frightened, when I did, that everything here might be worse than all I went through back there. But you showed me I was wrong, and that _they_ were wrong.” She took a deep breath. “I think what I’m trying to say is that...you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I still can’t quite believe it.”

 

“Well, you’ve got the rest of your life to get used to it,” Loki mused, and Georgiana giggled, raising her eyes level with his.

 

“Just as long as you’re right there with me,” she whispered.

 

With a smile, Loki stroked her face, gently. “I told you,” he murmured, his voice as soft as his touch, “I’m never leaving you.”

 

Georgiana nodded, casting her eyes downwards. “I trust you,” she whispered.

 

Loki sat up, bringing her up with him as he stared at her. “You trust me?”

 

She nodded, slowly, looking back at him. “I’ve trusted you for a long time now.”

 

Hardly daring to believe it, Loki cupped her face with both hands, feeling his heart racing with anticipation. “Georgiana...you have no idea how wonderful it feels to hear you say that,” he said, before kissing her.

 

Georgiana sighed into his kiss, returning it with the same amount of passion. “I know you’d never hurt me,” she murmured, “or let me down, ever.”

 

Eventually they parted for air and Loki rested his forehead against hers. “That means a lot, Georgiana.”

 

“Well...” Georgiana breathed back. “You trust me, don’t you?”

 

“I’ve never had any reason not to,” Loki pointed out, pulling her back down beside him. Georgiana smiled and snuggled against him again, just enjoying the closeness between them.

 

Presently, she ventured “Can I ask you something?”

 

“You can ask me anything,” Loki replied. “What is it?”

 

Georgiana took a deep breath. “It’s sort of personal, but...well...sometimes when I’m thinking about you, or like earlier when I was watching you undress, I feel strange... _down there.”_

Loki frowned. “Well...what is it you feel?”

 

“Sort of like I’ve got butterflies,” Georgiana tried to explain, “and it sort of...tingles...I don’t know how else to describe it.”

 

“And you felt like this earlier, watching me undress?” Loki repeated.

 

Georgiana blushed. “Sorry, you’re very handsome, I couldn’t help myself.”

 

Loki smiled. “Georgiana, I think that might have been arousal.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Well, it’s a feeling you get when you see or think about someone who attracts you.” Loki took a deep breath. “Or when you’re about to make love to someone.”

 

“Oh.” Georgiana thought for a second. “So, I get it _because_ I’m attracted to you?”

 

“Yes,” Loki smiled.

 

“Do _you_ get it?”

 

“All the time when I’m thinking about you. And sometimes when I’m with you.”

 

“Does it feel the same?”

 

“Pretty much.” Loki hesitated, absently playing with a strand of her hair, twirling it between his fingers. “Were you worried it wasn’t normal?”

 

Georgiana blushed. “A bit. I mean, you remember how I reacted when I had my first...” She whispered the taboo word. _“Period.”_

 

Loki smiled. “You know, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Georgiana. It’s messy, I know, but it’s normal.”

 

“I know, but...” Georgiana buried her face in his chest, her words coming out muffled. “I don’t like talking about it. And you shouldn’t have to hear about it.”

 

Loki dropped the strand of hair he’d been playing with, and cupped the back of her head. “Georgiana, look at me,” he murmured. Curiously, Georgiana glanced up at him. “I’m not uncomfortable with you talking about things like this. It’s what I’m here for. Do you think I’d love you any less if you kept talking about it?”

 

Georgiana hesitated. “Well, no, but...”

 

She trailed off. She didn’t really have an ending to that sentence.

 

“Well, then,” Loki finished for her, giving her a meaningful look.

 

Defeatedly, Georgiana smiled. “You seem to be teaching me a lot of things today,” she murmured, “not just swimming.”

 

They both laughed.

 

“Very witty,” Loki smiled.

 

Pleased with herself, Georgiana cuddled against him again. “I like that I make you laugh sometimes.” Loki rubbed her back, gently, and she closed her eyes with a drawn-out sigh of content. “Mm...that feels nice.”

 

“I know,” Loki murmured. “That’s why I did it.”

 

He did it again and she pressed closer to him, settling herself for sleep.

 

“Loki?” she whispered.

 

“Yes, my Georgiana?”

 

“I love you.”

 

Each time she admitted it, a rush of warmth went through him, the pleasurable feeling of being loved by her.

 

“I love you too,” Loki replied, holding her close. “So much.” He kissed the top of her head, a lingering kiss this time. “Never forget that.”

 

“I won’t,” Georgiana promised, before she felt herself falling asleep.

 

Loki, however, lay awake a while, thinking about what she had said before, about never believing she was capable of being loved until she met him. Her whole world had changed that day, she had left one world for another, leaving behind violence and pain for comfort and love, although she hadn’t known it at the time. She must have been so scared, and yet she had gone with them anyway, not knowing what lay ahead, only knowing that she would learn soon enough.

 

His brave Georgiana.

 

“Georgiana?” he murmured, shifting slightly beneath her. Georgiana stirred with a sleepy “Hmmm?” but didn’t wake and he shook his head, fondly. “Just so you know, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me too,” he whispered, kissing her forehead before allowing himself to fall asleep beneath her.


	25. "Leave The Hurt Behind"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a short chapter this time, will try and make the next one longer.

Georgiana woke feeling warmer inside than she had ever felt before in her life. She sat up, gingerly, glancing over at Loki, who was still sleeping peacefully beneath her. A smile crossed her lips as she remembered everything that had happened yesterday, that it hadn’t all been a dream.

 

The Duke had always made out that she was unworthy of being loved, but she knew now that he was wrong, because in Loki’s eyes she was more than worthy.

 

Boldly, she leaned over and kissed him, a soft press of her lips against his that roused him out of sleep.

 

“Good morning, my love,” she smiled, snuggling against him again.

 

“Good morning,” Loki murmured, opening his eyes and adding, as he kissed the top of her head, “my Georgiana. How did you sleep?”

 

“Wonderfully,” Georgiana beamed.

 

“Well, I suppose that was because you had your favourite pillow,” Loki teased.

 

Georgiana giggled. “How did you sleep?”

 

“Like a log,” Loki confessed. He ran a hand through her hair and Georgiana sighed before sitting up and shaking her head with a playful look in her eyes.

 

“No, don’t do that, or I’ll fall asleep again,” she protested.

 

Loki laughed, softly, and then noted that she seemed somewhat distant. He sat up, slightly, bringing her up with him.

 

“What is it?” he asked.

 

Georgiana hesitated. “I want to go back.” Loki looked confused and she elaborated. “To Althrop.”

 

Loki looked surprised. “I thought you wanted to stay here.”

 

“I do,” Georgiana replied. “I want to stay with you. I just...I think I need to go back there, one last time, now it’s all over, I mean.”

 

He relaxed. “You mean for closure?”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“Ending something.”

 

Georgiana thought about it and then nodded. “Yes. I want to feel like...everyone knows that the Duke can’t hurt me anymore...that I’ve beaten him and he was wrong...” She looked at him. “You’ll come with me, right?”

 

Loki smiled and took her hand. “Of course I will,” he murmured, kissing her hand. Georgiana smiled and then flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. “I meant what I said,” Loki added. “I’m never abandoning you.”

 

“I know,” Georgiana whispered. “I trust you, remember.”

 

Loki smiled and drew her away from him to cup her face. “That’s going to take some getting used to,” he said, and she smiled before he leaned in to kiss her. “Do you want to go today?” Loki asked and Georgiana nodded. “Alright, when you’re ready, we’ll go.”

 

 Shyly, Georgiana ducked her head. “I was wondering...would you like to join me in the bath?”

 

Loki looked at her in surprise. “Do you think we’re ready for that?”

 

“Well...you _have_ seen me naked enough times,” Georgiana pointed out.

 

“Yes, but you’ve not seen me like that,” Loki reminded her.

 

“Only because you keep hiding yourself from me,” Georgiana smiled.

 

Loki smiled and then took a deep breath. “The thing is though, well, sharing a bath can sometimes lead to...other things...”

 

“Oh...” Blushing deeply, Georgiana looked away. “No, you’re right...I’m not ready for...for that...yet...”

 

Loki lifted her chin, looking straight into her eyes. “When you are, we can,” he murmured, kissing her gently, and then to Georgiana’s surprise, he picked her up out of bed and carried her to the bathroom.

 

Georgiana giggled. “I feel like a damsel in distress, like in one of those fairytales.”

 

“You’d never be in distress with me around,” Loki smiled, prompting another giggle from her.

 

Sobering up, Georgiana added, thoughtfully, “Well, you’ve always run to my rescue before; that time I fell off Léttfeti, when we were attacked by that Bilgesnipe, when the Duke...”

 

She shuddered.

 

“Don’t think about that,” Loki murmured. “It’s all over now.”

 

With a smile, Georgiana reached up to kiss him. “Can you put me down now, please? I need to get undressed.”

 

Loki dropped her gently back onto her feet, still kissing her. Georgiana began to tug her nightgown off, and it suddenly occurred to her just how intimate this all was. Before, back when she had still been scared and shy around Loki, she hadn’t thought anything of undressing in front of him, but now she understood why Loki had tried to give her some privacy.

 

“You’re so beautiful,” Loki murmured, laying a hand on her waist.

 

Georgiana smiled. Her cuts and bruises inflicted by the Duke had almost completely healed and she had noticed lately that her clothes weren’t hanging as loosely on her they used too, the influence of finally being fed properly since leaving Althrop.

 

“You make me _feel_ beautiful,” she murmured back.

 

This was how it should have been that first day, she thought, not with her being scared of him touching her, Loki horrified by the amount of bruises and scars across her body, and her too shy to relax and be herself around him. Stepping into the bath, she reflected how far they had come since that day, the journey that had brought them to this moment.

 

So much had happened.

 

She closed her eyes as Loki began to wash her hair for her. “I like it when you do that. Actually, I like it when you touch my hair anyway, it feels nice.”

 

Loki smiled. “Well I like touching your hair.”

 

Georgiana giggled, and then glanced up at him. “Do you think I can do this? I mean, do you think I can go back to Althrop without running away?”

 

Loki nodded. “I know you can.” He reached for her hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be right there beside you, remember?”

 

She nodded. “I suppose...when I first came here I never thought I would go back there, but it feels like something I have to do.”

 

“I know,” Loki murmured.

 

Feeling a little bolder, Georgiana turned, reached up and kissed him. Dropping her hair, Loki cupped her face as she leaned closer to him, tugging him down to meet her. “Careful,” he murmured, “or I’ll be in serious danger of joining you in there.”

 

Georgiana giggled. “Sorry. I suppose I was getting carried away.”

 

Loki kissed her forehead. “One day,” he murmured, going back to washing her hair.

 

Georgiana closed her eyes, suddenly realising that the prospect of such a thing to look forwards to was rather exciting.

 

Afterwards, Loki followed her back to the bedroom and watched her dress, marvelling over the change in her. Her confidence was blossoming, she no longer shied away from his touch or became paranoid that he was going to do anything to hurt her and she didn’t seem so shy anymore. Perhaps, he reflected, it was to do with knowing that her feelings for him were reciprocated, knowing that she was free to open up to him and be herself.

 

He glanced up as she turned to him, and couldn’t help staring at her. The dress was sleeveless and black at the top, decorated with tiny gems, and from the waist down a deep green and flowing, highlighting her curves and slopes of her shoulders.

 

“See something you like, Loki?” Georgiana couldn’t resist teasing.

 

Loki smiled and got to his feet, taking her hand. “You look beautiful. As always.”

 

Georgiana blushed. “Thank you...as always.”

 

Together they left the palace and made for the stables, where Loki got the stable lads to saddle Gyllir and Léttfeti and whilst they waited, Georgiana tried to relax herself. It would be alright, she told herself, this would be the last time she ever saw that place, she would be with Loki and the Duke couldn’t hurt her anymore.

 

This was just for closure, and then that was it.

 

She smiled as Loki helped her up onto Léttfeti, murmuring a soft “Thank you,” as she arranged herself comfortably before taking the reins. A thought suddenly struck her. “Hold on, it takes about three days to get to Althrop from here.”

 

“Only when you don’t know a shortcut,” Loki replied, with a mischievous look that made her smile.

 

She followed him out of the palace gates and along the path leading to them until they turned off to the left where the grass sloped downwards in a bank towards the cliffs. Georgiana reflected that, about a month ago, she would have felt nervous about venturing somewhere new and unknown, but she felt safe with Loki. They passed through a gap between the rocks and through a wide tunnel that opened outwards towards a curtain of hanging greenery. Brushing it aside as she neared it, Georgiana stared.

 

In front of her was Althrop.

 

Automatically, she reached for Loki and he caught her hand in his.

 

“It’s alright,” he murmured.

 

Slowly, they rode forwards into the town, which was quiet, for once, only a handful of people milling about and none of them paid the two newcomers any mind as they approached. Loki could sense Georgiana’s nervousness, however, and as they finally came upon the great house where she had spent so many terrible years, he couldn’t help noticing her shudder.

 

“Georgiana, you’ve already come this far, you don’t have to go in,” he told her.

 

She met his look and he could tell that although she was scared, she was determined to. There would be no stopping her.

 

“Yes, I do,” she whispered, before dismounting. Loki followed as she led the way up the steps and gave the door a shove. Surprisingly, it opened, she supposed that either the servants had forgotten or just hadn’t bothered to lock it. They would all be gone, of course, following their Master’s arrest, although she couldn’t help feeling a little grateful to them as she walked into the great hall that they hadn’t stolen anything, and that they had covered over the furnishings, perhaps in the hope that one day someone would come back and live here again.

 

Moving as though her legs had turned to stone, Georgiana made for the stairs. After a brief hesitation, Loki followed her. Their feet made no sound along the dusty carpets as they moved along the corridor, around a corner and then Georgiana pushed open a door at the end.

 

The mattress was still there, that was the first thing she noticed. After quickly making sure that there were no spiders in sight, Georgiana moved into the room, realizing for the first time just how tiny it was, little more than a cupboard compared to her room at the palace. A few bare boards creaked under her steps. A minute shaft of light filtered through a crack in the heavy wooden shutters over the window.

 

She folded her arms, hugging herself for comfort.

 

“This is where I slept,” she said. “Where most of it happened.”

 

Without saying a word, Loki walked up and wrapped her in a hug, and though Georgiana clung to him tightly, needing his touch, she didn’t burst into tears. After a while, Loki murmured “You know, this place is yours now, to sell, to keep, to have demolished, whatever...”

 

Georgiana nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that, and...” She pulled away and looked up at Loki. “What this country really needs and what it doesn’t have is a Healing Room for everyone. Somewhere that they can come if they’re badly injured or sick. We don’t have all the same medicines as in Asgard, but if we could get some...”

 

“And find some healers who could help run it,” Loki finished for her, “and care for people.”

 

Georgiana smiled. “How do you do that? Know exactly what I’m about to say?”

 

Loki shrugged. “It’s supposed to be a sign of true love, perhaps it just comes along with falling in love with someone.”

 

She giggled. “You think it’s a good idea, then?”

 

“I think it’s a great idea,” Loki admitted. “I’m actually amazed no one thought of it before.”

 

Georgiana thought for a second. “It would take some doing. We’d need to clear everything out that wouldn’t be useful and find some beds and sort out living quarters for the healers, or perhaps they could live in a couple of the rooms there, it has plenty...”

 

“Georgiana, slow down,” Loki laughed. “We’re not going to be doing this on our own. We’ll get help from everyone at the palace.”

 

With a smile, Georgiana flung her arms around his neck, feeling warm and giddy all of a sudden. Then, she whispered “Let’s go home.”

 

Loki tightened his grip on her, proudly. Home. She had never actually said that before about the palace, “Let’s go home.” Somehow it made him love her even more.

 

“Let’s,” he agreed, finally releasing her and taking her hand. Georgiana glanced once more around the room, and then, feeling she could finally leave it all behind once and for all, led the way out of it. Perhaps that could be the supplies cupboard, she thought, or the room where they kept all the clean linen. One thing was for certain, no one would ever sleep in that little matchbox of a room ever again, not as long as she had anything to say about it.

 

The sun was beginning to shine as they left the house, the feeling of accomplishment lingering in the air for both of them. Suddenly it felt like everything was brighter, everything was right throughout the Nine Realms, and even if it wasn’t, it would be someday. Georgiana spun around as Loki pulled her close and kissed her, wanting more than ever for him to do so. It was done. She could put all the hurt, all the pain for the last seventeen, closer now to eighteen, years behind her, and forget that any of it had ever happened.

 

Her new life could finally begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Georgiana’s Dress: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61YRugLv8SL._UY550_.jpg


	26. "A White Veil Occassion..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

“Help me,” Georgiana mouthed.

 

Loki grinned at her and then walked into the room, which was currently filled with his wife-to-be, his mother and several of her ladies-in-waiting. Georgiana stood in the midst of them, being measured and fussed over as Frigga and her ladies examined and discussed various types of fabric. Discreetly, Loki waved a hand and one of the women shrieked as the piece of silk she was holding suddenly became a snake. She dropped it as all the others began to back away in fear and Frigga sighed, coolly, and moved to deal with it, giving Georgiana a chance in all the confusion to hop down from her stool and escape. Loki took her hand and they ran out of the room together, stifling their laughter at the sounds the women were making.

 

 “Thank you,” Georgina smiled, weakly. “Gods know I love your Mother, but she was beginning to drive me mad in there.”

 

“I don’t think she’d mind if you told her to slow down a little,” Loki replied, squeezing her hand.

 

 Georgiana leaned against him with a smile. “I just didn’t know that this much planning went into getting married. Your Mother says I need a new dress, shoes, gloves, I’ll need to have my hair done, and,” she lowered her voice here, “she even says I need _new undergarments.”_

 

They both laughed, although Loki noticed that she seemed somewhat distant. He brought them to a stop. “What is it?”

 

Georgiana glanced at her feet. “What if I’m no good?”

 

Loki frowned. “At what?”

 

“Well...” Georgiana looked up at him. “At our wedding night? I don’t want to let you down.”

 

Loki smiled and cupped her face in both hands. “You’ll be fine.”

 

Georgiana managed a smile. “How do you know?”

 

“Because you won’t be the only one worrying about that,” Loki replied.

 

Georgiana giggled. “What, with all those pretty chambermaids around, you’ve never..?” She broke off, realising that he wasn’t jesting. “Seriously?”

 

“Seriously, Georgiana,” Loki replied, “you’ll be my first, and only.”

 

Georgiana leaned up towards him so that their foreheads were touching. “That’s very romantic,” she whispered.

 

“Loki!”

 

They both stiffened and then glanced up to see Frigga standing a few feet away, her arms folded although her expression was more amused than cross.

 

“I didn’t teach you magic just so that you could terrify the daylights out of my ladies-in-waiting,” she stated, although Georgiana noted that from the way she was looking at them, she was somewhat happy to see them like this.

 

“Sorry, Mother,” Loki muttered.

 

Georgiana giggled. Frigga shook her head with a fond look. “Georgiana, when you two have children, make sure they don’t take after their Father.”

 

“I’ll try,” Georgiana smiled.

 

Frigga shook her head. “Go on then, you two, before I change my mind.”

 

Loki grinned at her and then took Georgiana’s hand again, leading her away from the room. A little respite, Georgiana thought, that was all she was after, and thankfully Frigga seemed to understand that. After all, these last few days had been so overwhelming, what with people rushing this way and that tripping over themselves to get everything prepared for the wedding day. On Frigga’s instructions, no one was allowed in the great hall where the whole ceremony would take place, since it had already been decorated and she didn’t want anyone to mess it up. Servants had constantly been coming up to them with flowers or ideas for food servings, and Georgiana had to admit that until today she hadn’t even been aware that there was more than one type of napkin available in the whole of Asgard.

 

Yes, she was enjoying bits of it, secretly she couldn’t wait to find out what her dress would eventually look like, but at the same time it was like running a race with friends and not being able to keep up.

 

She tucked her arm through Loki’s as they wandered into the garden. “Are you being as worn out through all this as I am?”

 

“I think you have it worse, actually,” Loki smiled. “My main problem is trying to stop Volstagg eating all the potential food samples before Thor and I get to have an opinion on them.”

 

 They both laughed as they stepped out into the grounds. Georgiana smiled, dreamily, as she leaned against Loki.

 

“I think it must be worth it all, though,” she murmured. “All this fuss.”

 

“It’ll only be for one day,” Loki agreed. They stopped by the fountain and sat down. “After that, it’ll just be you and me, for a while anyway.”

 

“Where will we go?” Georgiana asked. “Alfheimr? Nidavellir? Vanaheimr?”

 

“All of the above?” Loki teased and they both laughed.

 

Sobering up, Georgiana decided that now would be a good moment to broach the other question that had been worrying her ever since Frigga had mentioned it earlier.

 

“Do you think...?” She broke off, took a deep breath and started again. “Do you want children, Loki?”

 

Loki looked at her in surprise. “I hadn’t really thought about it much, I suppose, but yes, with you, I do. But,” he added, catching Georgiana’s worried expression, “we don’t have to have them right away, we’ve got all the time in the world to-”

 

“It’s not that.” Georgiana laid a hand over her stomach. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I think it’s something I want too. It’s just...” She sighed, trying to express how she was feeling. “Well, I never knew my parents. I didn’t have the same upbringing as you. What if I can’t love our children because of that?”

 

Loki reached over and took her hand. “Georgiana, you were born for this. You’re the most loving person I’ve ever met. However many children we have, I know you’ll love them all.”

 

Georgiana managed a smile. “How many would we have?”

 

Loki was about to answer when they both looked up at the sound of someone approaching. Sif grinned as she approached. “Don’t mind me, just passing.”

 

“Tell me, Sif, will you be wearing a dress to the wedding, or breeches like all the other warriors?” Loki quipped, a little annoyed at her having come along and interrupted their conversation.

 

Georgiana giggled as Sif put her hands on her hips, looking rather indignant. “Actually, Loki, Sif’s going to be my maid of honour, so naturally she’ll be wearing a dress.”

 

Sif smiled. “Have you picked out a colour yet?”

 

“Oh, please don’t ask,” Georgiana sighed. “It’s making my head spin at the minute just thinking about it all. Loki just rescued me from Frigga and her ladies.”

 

Sif laughed. “Well...I’ll leave you two to it, then.”

 

Loki waited until she was gone before turning to Georgiana with a smile. “Have I kissed you yet today?”

 

“No, and I was beginning to think you’d never ask,” Georgiana smiled, before leaning forwards to receive his kiss.

 

For the rest of the week, however, they barely saw one another, save for at night. In a complete reversal of roles, Georgiana had started climbing into Loki’s bed with him, and he supposed it only made sense, after all, she would be sharing this room with him for the rest of their lives once they were married. Most moments they got alone together were always interrupted by Frigga and Odin and everyone else, the decorators, the musicians. (Loki was a little surprised when Georgiana stayed behind to talk to them and wouldn’t tell him why afterwards.) Day by day everything slowly came together until the evening before the day itself was suddenly upon them.

 

Georgiana, having not been allowed to see her wedding dress until it was finished, gasped as it was finally held up in front of her. “Oh, Frigga..! It’s so beautiful!”

 

With very thin straps, the gown was, not white, but silver, it’s bodice largely covered with lace, a strip of which ran down the front of the skirt, and was trimmed with snow white fur along the hem, three petticoats beneath it giving it a “frothy” look from below. Her gloves were also made of lace, matching brilliantly, whilst her shoes were simple but elegant, heeled with open toes and white but littered in tiny sparkling crystals that caught the light each time she moved in them. Around her neck hung a silver heart-shaped pendant on a narrow green ribbon, a gift from Odin. (“Your something new,” he had stated.) Her hair was pulled back into a style that pinned the front out of her eyes, neatly at the back of her head, but with the rest hanging down loose.

 

Sif beamed at her. “Georgiana, you look absolutely gorgeous!”

 

Georgiana laughed, lightly. “So do you, Sif, I’ve never seen you in a dress before.”

 

Sif grinned, adjusting the skirt of her red wine coloured bridesmaid gown, gathered at the waist with fabric roses. “Not as gorgeous as you, Georgiana, after all, you’re the bride.”

 

“Yes, a bride who’s not yet had her makeup done,” Frigga, looking lovely in her own bronze gown with the high neck, picked specially for the occasion, smiled, beckoning Georgiana to a chair. “Now, close your eyes.”

 

Trustingly, Georgiana did as she was told. “Is today just going to be full of surprises for me?” she teased.

 

“You’re one to talk,” Sif laughed. “You’ve got a surprise for Loki, remember?”

 

Frigga raised her eyebrows. “A surprise?”

 

“Sorry, but you’ll have to wait like everyone else,” Georgiana smiled. Sif only knew about it because Georgiana had instructed her to signal the musicians when the time was right.

 

Frigga made a fond tutting noise and continued with Georgiana’s make up. When Georgiana was finally allowed to open her eyes, they were dusted lightly in a golden colour that highlighted the bright brown of her irises, her cheeks lightly dusted with a soft pink blush and her lips tinged a beautiful pink.

 

“And there’s one more surprise,” Frigga added, laying down her brush and picking up a small box on the dressing table, which, until now, Georgiana hadn’t noticed. Opening it, she uttered a gasp.

 

“Oh...” Sif murmured, coming up behind her.

 

“No Princess can get married without her crown,” Frigga beamed as Georgiana gently lifted the delicate tiara decorated with crystallized swans out of the box. She nodded to one of her servants to arrange it since Georgiana seemed too awestruck by its beauty to do so. Turning to look at herself in the mirror, Georgiana could suddenly see what Loki saw when he looked at her.

 

She was beautiful.

 

“I look like a princess,” she whispered, and then, turning she gave Frigga a hug. “Thank you so much for this.”

 

“Aw, let me in too,” Sif smiled, coming up and joining the hug.

 

The music was quiet in the hall, the general chatter just that little bit louder over it. Loki glanced about at them all, hoping that such a large crowd wouldn’t intimidate Georgiana, after all she was still getting used to seeing this many people all in the same room at once.

 

He straightened his tunic and felt Thor nudge him gently.

 

“Nervous?” Thor grinned.

 

“Why would I be nervous?” Loki answered. “I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this.”

 

“It’s a special day for everyone,” Odin added, from close by. “Not only the binding of two young lovers, but also the strengthening of a union between Asgard and Althrop.”

 

Thor and Loki exchanged a “Typical” look at their Father’s view of the day.

 

The music suddenly picked up, slow and soft, and the Priest quickly stood himself to attention.

 

“Good luck,” Thor muttered, making his way to his seat.

 

Loki gave him a playful push and then the room quietened completely as Georgiana walked in, with Frigga and Sif behind her.

 

“Wow, Sif scrubs up nicely,” Fandral muttered, and then paled, slightly. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

 

Volstagg and Hogun just did their best to stifle their laughter.

 

The music came to a close as Georgiana reached the front of the room and Loki took her hand. “You look beautiful,” he whispered.

 

Georgiana smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered back.

 

“Welcome,” the Priest began, “to all who have gathered here today to witness the blessed union of these two young people; Prince Loki of Asgard and Lady Georgiana of Althrop. May their marriage be blessed with only the good things life has to offer...”

 

He went on to describe marriage as a road that could have its various twists and turns but, if navigated correctly by two people willing to make it work, would be the most wonderful journey of their lifetime. Eventually came the most important part, however.

 

“Do you, Prince Loki, take Lady Georgiana to be your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death parts you?”

 

Loki smiled. “I do.”

 

“And do you, Lady Georgiana, take Prince Loki to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death parts you?”

 

“I do,” Georgiana replied, returning Loki’s smile.

 

“Then, by the power vested in me, by the almighty Gods above,” the Priest finished, “I now pronounce you man and wife, Prince and Princess of Asgard. You may seal your union with a kiss.”

 

“Hang on, should I cover my eyes for this bit?” Fandral piped up, and Sif swatted at him. Thankfully, everyone else took it in good humour though, even the Priest managed to turn a giggle into a coughing fit. Georgiana felt warmth rushing through her as she flung her arms around Loki’s neck and met his kiss with her own, the pair of them met with a rush of cheers and applause as they parted.

 

“That was definitely worth all this fuss,” she smiled.

 

With a soft laugh, Loki kissed her again, before they were both set upon by Thor who had them both in such a tight hug that it was a wonder they both came out of it with nothing broken.

 

Before too long, the whole group had moved out of the hall and into the ballroom for the feasting and dancing. After all the congratulatory speeches and toasts had been made, Georgiana glanced around for Sif and signaled for her. Sif nodded and then waved a hand towards the musicians. The leading singer nodded and then caught everyone’s attention.

 

“For our next song, I am inviting as many people as possible to dance, since this is a very special song, with lyrics written by none other than the bride herself,” she announced, before the music began to swell.

 

Loki looked at her in surprise. “You wrote a song?”

 

Georgiana nodded. “It started off as a poem, but then I thought it sounded better with music, so it became a song. It’s my wedding gift to you.”

 

Loki kissed her gently, before getting to his feet, bringing her up to. “Dance with me?”

 

Georgiana nodded and they led the others to the dance floor as the musicians began to sing.

 

“There is something that I see,

“In the way you look at me,

“There's a smile, there's a truth in your eyes.

“What an unexpected way,

“On this unexpected day,

“Could it mean this is where I belong?

“It is you I have loved all along...”

 

Georgiana smiled to herself as she pressed closer to Loki, remembering when she had first written the song, praying that she could pour every single emotion she felt for him into words. The fact that Loki hugged her a little more tightly to him gave her told her that she had managed it.

 

“There’s no more mystery,

“It is finally clear to me,

“You're the home my heart searched for so long.

“And it is you I have loved all along...”

 

“So beautiful,” Sif whispered from her chair, watching the other couples dance. Odin and Frigga exchanged a smile and then got up to join the dancing.

 

“There were times I ran to hide,

“Afraid to show the other side,

“Alone in the night without you,

“But now I know just who you are,

“And I know you hold my heart,

“Finally this is where I belong.

“It is you I have loved all along...”

 

Feeling Loki kiss the top of her head, Georgiana glanced up.

 

“Thank you,” Loki murmured.

 

She smiled. “It’s true. It’s everything I feel but can’t always put into words.” Thoughtfully, she added, “Really it should be me thanking you. I didn’t know I could love, or be loved, until I met you.”

 

“There's no more mystery,

“It is finally clear to me,

“You're the home my heart searched for so long.

“And it is you I have loved all along...”

 

The other couples were watching them as they danced past, but neither Loki nor Georgiana paid them any mind.  
 

“Over and over,

“I'm filled with emotion.

“Your love, it rushes through my veins.

“And I am filled,

“With the sweetest devotion,

“As I look into your perfect face...”

 

Both of them stopped dancing and wrapped the other in a tight embrace, their lips meeting in a kiss of fiery passion.

 

“There's no more mystery,

“It is finally clear to me,

“You're the home my heart searched for so long.

“And it is you I have loved,

“It is you I have loved,

“It is you I have loved all along...”

 

Applause went up around the room as the musicians took their bows before picking up with a livelier tune for livelier dancing. Finding their table now completely empty, Loki and Georgiana made their way back there. Georgiana could feel something inside, something that seemed to want to burst out of her like sunlight on a cloudy day, although she couldn’t think what it was.

 

Still, it didn’t matter. She was here, with Loki, they were finally married.

 

“This day’s been so perfect,” she whispered, squeezing Loki’s hand. “I really don’t want it to end.”

 

Loki glanced about the room and then leaned closer to her. “Do you think anyone would notice if we slipped out for a minute?”

 

Georgiana looked surprised. “I don’t think so. Why?”

 

“Because I haven’t given you your wedding gift yet,” Loki replied, tugging her gently to her feet. “Come on.” Bewildered, Georgiana followed him out of the room and out into the courtyard. “Close your eyes,” Loki murmured, leading her by the hand. Georgiana did as she was told. “I’m afraid I couldn’t actually bring it into the palace, Father would have killed me.”

 

In spite of not yet knowing what was going on, Georgiana giggled. “Where are you taking me, Loki?”

 

“You’ll see in a minute.” Loki stopped after a moment and let go of her hand, walking around behind her. “Alright, you can open them now.”

 

Georgiana opened her eyes and then threw her hands over her mouth with a soft gasp. Loki had brought her to the stables, and looking over the door of a previously unused stall was the most beautiful-looking horse she had ever seen in her life, its coat a platinum gold colour. At the sight of her, the horse twitched its ears as if in recognition. Slowly, Georgiana reached out a hand and stroked the velvety muzzle, and the horse nudged her hand, gently.

 

“She’s mine?” Georgiana whispered.

 

“Her name’s Glaðr,” Loki replied. “I thought it was time you had a horse of your own.”

 

“Oh, Loki...” Georgiana felt her eyes cloud over as she hugged Glaðr, who seemed to like her already, judging by the way she nuzzled up to her. “I love her.” Then, after petting her new horse a few more times, and doing her best not to start crying, she turned to Loki and flung her arms around him. “Thank you so much.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Loki murmured, hugging her back.

 

Georgiana was reminded of that day when he had told her that she “deserved to own beautiful things,” that day they had bought new shoes for her together. If marriage, as the Priest had just stated, was a journey, then so was falling in love. She had come a long way since that day, when she had been shy and nervous, even of Loki, and now here she was, his wife and Asgard’s princess.

 

“I love you, Loki,” she whispered.

 

Loki smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, Georgiana.” Georgiana jumped as she felt something nudge her from behind, and then realised it was Glaðr. She laughed. “Ah,” Loki muttered, reaching into a nearby saddle bag and fishing out an apple. “I knew I’d forgotten something.”

 

Georgiana smiled as she reached up to feed it to Glaðr. She could picture the two of them riding alongside Loki and Gyllir, off to that special place of their with the Elf Lights in the sky, or to somewhere new they had never been before.

 

“I was such a fool before,” she murmured, “for being scared of horses.”

 

Loki slipped a hand into hers. “Georgiana, you’d never ridden before, it was natural.”

 

Georgiana was grateful to him for not having brought up the real reason she had been scared, the subject of her Father’s death, on their wedding day. She took a deep breath.

 

“I don’t think I’m scared now, of tonight,” she said, softly. “Because it’ll just be you and me.”

 

Loki brought her into another hug, the prospect of the pair of them finally becoming more intimate with one another tonight sending a warm feeling through all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Song: https://youtu.be/GfNJsDm5Di8
> 
> Glaðr: https://cdn1.lockerdome.com/uploads/a2a1c5f42740430399d85f5f08668d6ba7e0f00d22587f23bc659cb41b2fea19_large
> 
> Sif’s Dress: http://www.frenchweddingstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/red-bridesmaid-dress.jpg
> 
> Frigga’s Dress: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=101988440
> 
> Georgiana’s Eye Make Up: http://s5.weddbook.com/t4/8/0/4/804780/wedding-so-pretty.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s lipstick: http://wedwebtalks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/wedding-makeup-for-lips.jpg
> 
> Georgiana's Wedding Dress: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8b/94/1e/8b941e0bca06cfa332f2bd64dc3aa9f0.jpg
> 
>  
> 
> Georgiana's Gloves: http://g03.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1oSzXIXXXXXXyXFXXq6xXFXXXj/New-2016-Bride-font-b-Lace-b-font-Bridal-font-b-Gloves-b-font-High-Quality.jpg 
> 
>  
> 
> Georgiana's Tiara:  
> http://www.voguequeen.com/images/dresses/accessories/tiaras/romantic-crystal-swan-delicate-wedding-tiara_tiara004.jpg
> 
>  
> 
> Georgiana's Hair: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/83/49/a3/8349a3288754b2f30bae8c9a62b2a475.jpg
> 
> Georgiana's Shoes: http://hitchedukst.s3.amazonaws.com/Fashion/Shoes/images/4_497_1071SwarovskiBridalShoes.JPG
> 
> Georgiana's Wedding Necklace: https://www.roseandcostore.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/silver-heart-Choker-600x600.png


	27. "Each Happy Ending's A Brand New Beginning."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

It was a giddy-ish sort of feeling, wasn’t it? Or at least, that was the best way she could think of to describe it.

 

_Her mind was in a whirl as Loki carried her into the room. When was the last time they had kissed this much? She couldn’t think. It was as if once they had both started, they couldn’t stop, like a barrier had finally been broken down, as they were now husband and wife, and there were no limits to the amount of physical touching that happened between them._

_This, she realised, was exactly the way she had hoped, secretly in her heart, that it would be between her and Loki, even though she had been certain that it never could be in a million years. Except...this was better, somehow, than the fantasy she had built up in her head, because it was real._

She stretched her arms out in front of her and rested them on the balcony, the gentle warm breeze playing with her hair and her peach nightgown and dressing robe set, a honeymoon gift from Sif, and the curtains of the open window behind her. Georgiana smiled. She had left Loki asleep in that vast bed that, she imagined, could probably fit them in with enough additional room for Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three, and still have enough space left over for another person. The thought of them all sharing a bed like that, imagining Volstagg snoring and Fandral hitting him for it with a pillow, made her giggle.

 

_Nothing, she felt, as he finally set her down on her feet again, could be more perfect, right now, just her and Loki, married, finally, and more than that, in love, more than she could ever have hoped for before she came to Asgard. The knowledge that he loved her sent a warm rush through her veins, like she had described in the song she had written, a tingling feeling throughout her whole body. Now, the way that he was touching her was causing that feeling to intensify._

_“Unlace me,” she whispered, spinning around and holding up her hair so that he could get at her laces._

_Loki laughed, softly, her sudden eagerness taking him by surprise. “Alright,” he murmured, untying the knot and loosening the back of her dress._

_Georgiana blushed, slightly, and glanced at him. “I know you’ve seen me without my clothes on before, but...can we pretend this is the first time?”_

_“Of course,” Loki murmured, drawing her close for another kiss. Georgiana wrapped her arms tightly about his neck, pressing up on her toes closer to him. She remembered that day when he had been teaching her how to swim, how he had held her whilst they had both been in nothing but their bathing suits, how intimate that had been, and how she had tingled at being in his arms then. The tingling feeling was returning to her now. She felt Loki slid a hand down her back, his fingers sending vibrations like a lightning charge through her chemise and down her spine._

_“I like that,” she murmured, arching into his touch. “Touch me again.”_

This place was so beautiful, so calm, a perfect place to just stand for a minute and think. All day yesterday they had spent just out in the wonderfully warm weather, exploring, picnicking, just being together, every little moment with him felt like the last in the world, each one to be cherished as if it was as delicate as gossamer. The night had been wonderful too, when in the small hours they had talked, and a good deal more besides.

 

_Kisses became more rapid, more feverish, as they both hit the mattress, Georgiana with her back, Loki with his hands, and touching was becoming so much more intimate now, hands moving lower, discarding clothing until there was nothing between them apart from their own skin, and she was the first to pull back, lowering her eyes, somewhat nervously, blushing deeply._

_“I know I tell you this every day,” Loki whispered, running his eyes over her body, “but you are so beautiful, Georgiana.”_

_“Thank you,” Georgiana whispered, feeling arousal pooling inside her already. “And I know you’re not just saying that because you think it’s what I want to hear, I know you’re telling me the truth.” Loki leaned down to kiss her again and she murmured “And by the way, from the second I met you, I knew you were the most handsome, charming man I’d ever meet in my entire life.”_

_Loki smiled. “You’re the first woman who’s ever told me that, Georgiana.”_

_Georgiana raised her eyebrows. “Because they all prefer Thor, right?”_

_“Usually,” Loki agreed._

_“Well, not me,” Georgiana murmured, leaning into his kisses. “I always thought he was too wild looking, whereas you have the refined looks of a Prince.” Then, she giggled as Loki kissed the side of her neck. “That tickles!”_

_“Sorry,” Loki murmured against her skin._

_“No, I like it,” Georgiana murmured. “Keep going.”_

Automatically, she touched the side of her neck, remembering that moment, and all those soft gentle touches that made her first time, _their_ first time, she reminded herself, so, so wonderful.

 

_“Oh, Loki..!” she gasped, feeling her arousal swell inside like a flower bursting into bloom. “I had no idea you were so good with your hands!” Then she giggled at the surprised look on his face. “What?”_

_“Just what exactly were you and Sif talking about before we came up here?” Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. He hadn’t missed Sif taking his wife, his wife, he still couldn’t quite get over it, to one side and whispering something to her right before the party began to break up._

_Georgiana shrugged, her eyes innocent, but her smile somewhat mischievous. “Just...girl stuff.” Then her eyes met his and she stifled a giggle as he leaned down and kissed her._

_“You really are full of surprises, my love,” Loki smirked._

_“I’m not the only one,” Georgiana breathed, arching her back up against his touches that soon had her gasping and panting for more. And more came, more intensity, more pleasure until they were both moaning and shuddering and Georgiana felt that it was a wonder that the entire bed wasn’t slamming back into the wall. In all of her wildest dreams she had never imagined being made love to, especially by someone who actually loved her, by someone she actually loved in return, could feel like this. There was more than passion, there was tenderness, warmth, every single display of affection Loki had ever given her and more, all rolled into one._

_She realised she was trembling as Loki collapsed on top of her and then rolled off her, pulling her into his arms, what was this, palpitations? Ecstasy? Perhaps a mix of both. She remembered once feeling like if the universe suddenly came to a stop, if she died being held like this in Loki’s arms, it would be quite alright, because she would have known such tenderness and comfort just once._

_“I love you,” Loki whispered, breathlessly, kissing her hair._

_Georgiana nodded, trying to catch her breath and finally she managed to get enough inside her to gasp “I love you too.”_

_Concerned, Loki cupped her cheek with one hand and brought her face level with his. “Are you alright?”_

_She smiled, feeling love burst into her heart. “Yes, Loki, of course I’m alright. I’m with you.”_

And, Georgiana reflected, she was always alright when she was with Loki, _because_ she was with Loki.

 

_She fell asleep curled up tight inside his embrace, to the feel of him stroking her hair and the whispered exchanges of love._

And now they were here, miles from all that, and none of it would ever fade, she could feel it. She had read a few novels about romance during the run up to their wedding and there were times in those when the relationships turned sour with the course of age, but she something instinctively told her that her life with Loki would never be like that. This was no passing fling, whirlwind romance they had entered into lightly. He had cared about her right from the very beginning and she knew that he would never let her down.

 

Because he always listened to her, no matter how ridiculous her fears or how boring she felt she might be becoming, he always listened. And he respected her too, never pressing her too much if there was something she didn’t feel like talking about but always letting her know that she could tell him if she wanted to, and in the end she always did.

 

And she trusted him with her whole heart.

 

_She woke up snuggled against him, the memory of the night before running through her mind in slow motion, every touch, every kiss still so fresh in her thoughts. To her surprise, when she moved up to a more comfortable position, Loki showed no signs of stirring like he always had before whenever he had felt her move in his arms._

_“Loki?” Her voice sounded heavy with sleep but she didn’t care as she leaned forwards and kissed him. At that, her husband did stir and she breathed a sigh of relief as he blinked sleepily at her. “I was beginning to worry,” she murmured, snuggling against him. “You told me you were a light sleeper.”_

_“I am, usually,” Loki mused, rolling over to pull her properly into his arms. “But last night completely tired me out.”_

_“Me too,” Georgiana whispered, managing a smile as she reflected on everything last night had meant. “And now...we’re married. I can’t believe it. Last night felt like a dream.”_

_“Do you want me to pinch you?”_

_“No.” Georgiana shot her head up and then realised Loki was only teasing her. “No, definitely not, my husband,” she smiled, pulling herself up so that they were level. “Just kiss me if you will, that will be enough to convince me.”_

_Loki laughed. “My wife is already sinking into her role, I’m impressed.” And then he cut off the indignant response she had been about to make with a kiss that made her sink back into his embrace against the mattress._

_“I like that,” she murmured, nuzzling him. “When you call me yours,_ your _wife,_ your _Georgiana.”_

_“Well, you are,” Loki pointed out, kissing her forehead. “And I’m yours. Forever.”_

_Georgiana smiled up at him, feeling her heart give a little kick. “So, does that mean we can..?”_

_She offered him a suggestive look and then giggled at the look of surprise on her husband’s face, which was quickly replaced with a mischievous smile that she decided she very much liked the look of. Before he could kiss her, however, a thought struck her, and she stopped him from doing so by placing a finger on his lips._

_“Actually, perhaps we ought to...clean up...together..?”_

_Loki’s answer to that was to kiss her and then sweep her out of bed, causing her to giggle as she snuggled closer to him and he carried her into the bathroom, after which she had decided that she definitely wanted Loki to bathe with her from that moment onward._

_The journey from the palace had been long, but she hadn’t cared a whit, because it was a lovely day and she was with Loki, it was just the two of them, with Gyllir and_ _Glaðr and absolutely no one else around. The feeling of finally being married to Loki, it felt, to her, like the feeling of finally being free, free of the trappings of her old life and free to begin again._

_A new start._

_That first night, after they had finally arrived, and been shown to a room bathed completely in white, just like the sand down on the beach below them, which seemed to shine brighter by moonlight, they had walked by the edge of the sea and stopped eventually by a large rock to sit down and glance up at the stars. The sky reflected brilliantly off the waves, causing them to glitter with starlight like magic._

_“It’s so beautiful here,” Georgiana murmured, leaning against Loki. “It reminds me of our place, you know, with the Elf Lights; like we’re the only two people in the whole of the Nine Realms and no one else exists.”_

_“I know,” Loki murmured back, kissing her hair. “Like we’re frozen in time.”_

_“That’s what I was thinking,” Georgiana admitted, with a shy smile. Then, she noticed something a little way away in the sand at their feet. “What’s that?” Before Loki could look over to where she was indicating, she had uncurled herself for a better look and dug it out, gingerly, lest it belong to a crab or some other sea creature that might put up a fight for it. It was a shell, hinged and a variety of colours, white speckled with brown and then a colour that changed when it caught the light from blue to purple to pink like an opal._

_“That’s from a Valkyrie Wing Clam,” Loki said, leaning forwards. “I had heard that they live around here, but they’re very rare.” Georgiana closed the shell and turned it over in her hands. He was right, when opened it did look like a set of Valkyrie wings. Loki moved closer to her. “You know, there is a famous legend about them.”_

_Georgiana looked up at him, eagerly. “What?”_

_“Well, according to some writings found on ancient stones, our ancestors believed that once a Valkyrie came here and fell in love with a local man. However, being that she was immortal and that he would only live for about five thousand years or so, no one believed that they could ever be together. So, the young Valkyrie begged the Norns to grant her young man immortality, and they did, in the shape of one of these.” He tapped the shell in her hands. “Back then, these weren’t called Valkyrie Wings, they were just ordinary clams like all the rest. But the Norns put a spell on one so that, when devoured, it would grant the devourer eternal life. So the Valkyrie and her young man got to spend eternity together, and now the Valkyrie Wing Clams stand for everlasting love. They say that if you find one, then the next person you meet will be your true love.”_

_Georgiana raised her eyes to his and smiled. “And that’s you.”_

_Loki smiled and reached for her hand. “I don’t think we needed a clam shell to tell us that, Georgiana.”_

_“Perhaps not,” Georgiana breathed, “but I think I’d like to keep this one anyway.”_

True Love. Everlasting Love. And no, Loki was right, they didn’t _need_ a clam shell to tell them that their love would last forever, but it was still a lovely thought, that they had found something, a symbol, a sign that it would.

 

Forever.

 

She thought back to that first night she had spent at Asgard, the first day she had spent there afterwards, how gentle Loki had been with her right from the start. She couldn’t imagine him being any other way with her.

 

Memories flitted in front of her vision, conversations, moments they had spent together, all the ways Loki had shown love to her rolling into one.

 

 _“Did you think I was going to_ _hit_ _you? Why?”_

_“I made a mess...”_

_“So? You didn’t do it on purpose.”_

_“You’re not going to punish me? What are you doing?”_

_“I’m hugging you.”_

_“Why? I thought you had to do something special to be hugged.”_

_“Who’s been telling you that?”_

_“Everyone I know. All my life.”_

_“Well, what you’ve been told is a complete lie. People get hugged for all sorts of reasons, whether it’s because they’re upset or happy or scared, or even just because they need one. And right now I’d say you definitely need one.”_

_“I like this.”_

_“Good, because I plan to hug you as often as possible.”_

_“Where are we going?”_

_“Somewhere special.”_

_“Just us?”_

_“Just us.”_

_“You didn’t just bring me here so we could...copulate?”_

_“What? No!”_

_“I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve heard stories about people-”_

_“Georgiana, I would never do that to you. I wish you could trust me.”_

_“You were so fast! It made me feel protected.”_

_“I make you feel protected?”_

_“What is it?”_

_“It isn’t true. You are_ _not_ _worthless, Georgiana.”_

_“It’s definitely dead?”_

 

_“Definitely. I told you before. Nothing can hurt you when I’m here.”_

_“I know.”_

_“He’s never going to touch you ever again._

_“I-I-I-can’t believe he almost-”_

_“But he didn’t. Because you were brave and screamed out.”_

_“Would you still care about me even if he had...succeeded?”_

 

_“I care about you no matter what, Georgiana. Nothing will ever change that.”_

_“Loki?”_

_“Yes, my Georgiana?”_

_“I love you.”_

_“I love you too. So much. Never forget that.”_

_“I won’t...”_

 

She felt his hand at the small of her back as he murmured “Are you alright?”

 

Georgiana looked up at him, into his caring green eyes, the eyes that had looked on her lovingly right from the day they met, and nodded, slowly.

 

“Loki...I’m more than alright.” Her expression broke into a smile that lit her whole face. “I’m happy.” Then, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “For the first time in my entire life, I’m happy.”

 

With a relieved smile, Loki hugged her back and for a while they just stood in one another’s arms, the winds of Nidavellir breezing around them in a comforting sensation, and then Georgiana pulled back to smile up at him.

 

“Thank you,” she murmured, before reaching up to kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Beach: http://7hdwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/white-sand-beach-wallpaper.jpg
> 
> Night: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fqzENTUQNi0/maxresdefault.jpg
> 
> Angel Wing Clam: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/0a/8d/8a/0a8d8a79235781c999aea275457ef1b6.jpg
> 
> Georgiana’s Nightwear: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/86/87/57/868757ca3992b994558802d23c236c07.jpg


	28. "You Are Perfect To Me"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Georgiana has known in her life is abuse, pain and scorn. Loki is tasked with showing her that she was born for a better life and earning her trust. Love just kind of happens along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [[Right, I know it's been a long time coming, I'm sorry, but I've been trying to make it a good one, so I hope it is. Just a quick announcement - my next up and coming fanfic featuring these two shouldn't be up for a while yet, but for those of you who can't wait, a few quick "spoilers" I guess - it will also feature the real Tom Hiddleston and Keira Knightly, and it will be based on a video by my dear friend LoveandHeartbreak. I've no idea how long it'll be yet, but it's going to flux back and forth between past and present in the story. And now, onto the chapter, thanks to all who've stuck with it this long!]]

_One Year Later..._

“Can you see it? Can you see the light? Can you catch it?”

 

Loki glanced over at his wife, halfway through pulling on his boots, and felt a wave of happiness flood through him. He watched, with a fond smile, as Georgiana gently spun the crystal hanging over the intricately carved wooden cradle and heard the tiny cooing of the infant as she reached up and tried to catch the rainbows it reflected. Their daughter was only a few days old, everything was so new and interesting to her, and already it was as if she understood her mother, the way she responded to the sound of her voice like that, her small hands reaching up to grasp the lights she couldn’t catch but it didn’t seem to matter to her because her mother was there and she liked that.

 

Georgiana smiled, warmly, abandoning the crystal and reached down to lift their daughter up into her arms. Loki had managed not to sound too smug about the fact that he had been right about her loving their little girl from the second she was born, in fact even before she was born, when they had learned she was expecting. Of course, she had been nervous about it, the old worries of not being able to love their child flooding back to her, although she had put on a brave face about it and insisted that she wasn’t worried. Loki had known deep down that she was, though.

 

But then everything had changed that first day their daughter had kicked.

 

_It had been a normal day, and they had both just woken up, Georgiana shifting herself about as gently as possible so as not to hurt the baby, although the healers had reassured her that their four month old unborn was well protected inside her mother’s womb, and that was when it had happened. She had felt the small movement, like a nudge inside her, and it had made her freeze, worrying for a second that something was wrong._

_Feeling her stiffen, Loki glanced up, worriedly. “What is it?”_

_“I don’t know,” Georgiana whispered, feeling their baby kick again. “I think she just...hit me, no, kicked me.”_

_Eyes widening, Loki laid a hand on her stomach and smiled, feeling their daughter give another soft kick. Then, he noticed the concerned expression on her face. “Georgiana, it’s alright. It’s a good thing; it means she’s healthy and content.”_

_“Oh.” Georgiana managed a nervous smile. “I thought...I thought it meant she didn’t like me.”_

_“No,” Loki smiled. “It’s sort of her way of saying “Hello.”_

_Looking down at her pregnancy curve, Georgiana laid her hands over it, smiling at the feeling of the kicking. “Hello,” she whispered, softly, and then glanced up at Loki. “You were right. I_ do _love her.”_

_“So do I,” Loki murmured, leaning over to kiss her._

And after that, Georgiana had had no more doubts about her abilities as a mother. So far, as far as Loki was aware at any rate, she was doing a wonderful job, constantly concerned for their child’s welfare and safety, always first by her cradle in the middle of the night when she cried, ready to feed or change or comfort her. And if there had ever been any doubt about their baby loving her in return, well, that was all banished too.

 

“Look at her,” she breathed as the infant yawned and closed her eyes, content in her mother’s embrace. Loki came up to her and she smiled lovingly at him. “She’s absolutely perfect.”

 

“I know,” Loki agreed, gently stroking their daughter’s few fine strands of hair, golden like Georgiana’s. “She’s as beautiful as her mother.”

 

It didn’t matter how often he said it, Georgiana still blushed when he told her that.

 

“I think she’ll have your eyes,” she said, looking down at their daughter. “They look more green than blue to me.”

 

Their daughter made a grabbing motion, starfish hands clasping her father’s sleeve, and Loki laughed, gently. “Yes, little one, we _are_ talking about you.”

 

“Do you think she knows?” Georgiana asked, adjusting their daughter in her arms. “Knows that today she’s going to meet her grandparents, and her uncle, for the first time?”

 

The little Princess of Asgard had yet to met the rest of her family just yet; that had been down to the insistence of the healers for health reasons, since babies caught things so easily, but now, after several days of seeing no one but her mother and father, they had deemed it safe for her to meet the rest of them.

 

“Of course she does,” Loki insisted. “She’s got our intelligence. I guarantee she’ll pick up on reading as quickly as you did too.”

 

Georgiana laughed, gently, wondering when they were going to get onto the subject of the other thing, that being the fact that neither of them had come up with a name for their little girl yet. Loki had reassured her during her pregnancy that they would find the perfect name for her when she was born, and Georgiana felt that, after reading a book she found in the library entitled _Lover’s Mark_ which told the story of a family battling a great black dragon in order to save their kingdom, she had found a name, the name of the youngest daughter who went on to marry a knight and live in a land outside of a jewelled mountain. But she had yet to bring it up with Loki.

 

And she wasn’t sure how to.

 

In the end, she decided to just bite the arrow head and ask him outright for his opinion, and if he didn’t feel the name fitted, then whether or not he could come up with one.

 

“I’ve been thinking...” she ventured, hesitantly. “Well, the first thing everyone’s going to ask is what her name is...and...”

 

She left the implication hanging in the air.

 

“I know,” Loki replied, seriously, taking a deep breath, “and I started thinking the other day about that book you were reading-”

 

“Hela?” Georgiana interrupted, her eyes widening and at the sound of her potential name, their baby glanced up at her questioningly, as if she somehow knew that, once again, she was being talked about. “After the youngest sister?”

 

Loki smiled. “Looks like we were on the same trail of thought.”

 

Georgiana felt relieved. “You like it?”

 

“I think it’s perfect,” Loki replied. “And I think she does too.”

 

“Do you?” Georgiana cooed, gently, nuzzling the baby’s nose with her own and causing their daughter to smile and make similar cooing noises of her own. “Do you like that, Hela, my princess?” Hela reached up and grasped a few strands of her mother’s hair as Georgiana kissed her forehead, tenderly. She tugged a little and then let go, looking curiously up at her mother, as if trying to work out what it was that kept making her smile so much. “I think she does, you’re right,” Georgiana said, looking up at Loki with something much deeper than affection in her eyes.

 

Gingerly, so as not to dislodge Hela or make her feel uncomfortable, Loki stepped closer to Georgiana and kissed her. He was more than proud of her for this, for giving them this beautiful little child whom they now had a responsibility to protect and nurture their whole lives. He knew that Georgiana would lavish on Hela, and any other children they might have in future, all the love that she had never known, or been denied, in her childhood. Their daughter would not go through life worrying that no one cared about her.

 

“I think I know what people mean now,” Georgiana murmured, “when they say they would kill for someone. I’d kill for both of you.”

 

“I’d kill for both of you too,” Loki murmured back, kissing her again.

 

There was a knock on the door and Hela gave a soft whimper that was quickly pacified when Georgiana simply wrapped her blanket closer about her body, making her feel secure. It was a servant come to tell them that everyone was waiting for them in the hall. Georgiana felt a rush of maternal pride suddenly, reminding herself that not only had she and Loki produced a healthy, beautiful little girl, but also Odin’s first grandchild, and quite possibly the heir to the throne, the potential AllMother if Thor had no children.

 

It was certainly quite an honourable accomplishment.

 

As the doors were opened to them by the guards outside, everyone inside turned their heads expectantly and the first sound they heard was Sif uttering a soft “Aw...” No one moved for a second, as the collected atmosphere of the room rendered them all temporarily immobile, and then softly, one by one, they came up, Frigga first, quietly so as not to startle Hela.

 

“Oh, she’s beautiful,” Sif whispered.

 

“She is,” Frigga agreed, gently.

 

Georgiana smiled. “Would you like to hold her?”

 

Frigga smiled hopefully and Georgiana gently placed Hela in her arms. Hela didn’t seem to mind a bit, just made a surprised cooing noise but didn’t fuss, her eyes very wide as they took in all these new people. Thor sidled up to his brother, noting the look of pride on his face as he watched their Mother holding his little girl whilst Georgiana stood close by, checking that she wasn’t about to start fussing.

 

“Congratulations,” Hogun offered, bowing his head. “Something tells me no man will ever be good enough for her.”

 

Loki smiled.

 

“How does it feel?” Thor asked, quietly, glancing between Loki and the child. “Being a father?”

 

“Wonderful,” Loki replied. “Terrifying, but wonderful.”

 

Odin smiled as he approached. “The first Princess born to Asgard in a long time.”

 

Georgiana felt a rush of pride when he said that.

 

“Oh,” Sif sighed, “now _I_ want one.”

 

Everyone laughed, knowing that Sif would always be a warrior before she was a mother.

 

Georgiana looked up. “Thor, would you like to hold her?”

 

“Best not,” Thor insisted, looking worried. “I don’t want to drop her.”

 

“If you do that, I’ll _murder_ you,” Loki warned.

 

“You won’t drop her,” Frigga reassured, already approaching him with Hela. Thor saw that he had no option, even the Warrior’s Three were looking at him hopefully. Reluctantly, though he tried not to show it, he held out his arms and Frigga showed him the right way of doing it before placing Hela in them. Loki relaxed, knowing he was just being overprotective, but he couldn’t help it. After all, it was a slightly scary notion, being responsible for this tiny, perfect little Aesir girl, and he had a feeling that he would be overly protective of her for the rest of her life.

 

“She is lovely,” Thor admitted.

 

“Oh?” Fandral grinned at him, teasingly. “Don’t say you’re going the same way as Sif, Thor!”

 

“And there we thought we could hold onto you forever,” Volstagg agreed, shaking his head.

 

“Very funny,” Thor replied. Hela began to fuss all of a sudden and he jumped. “Whoa, what did I do?”

 

Loki smiled. “Nothing, I think she wants to be free of that blanket.”

 

He gently lifted Hela from his brother and sorted her. Watching him, Georgiana suddenly remembered something the Duke had once said to her. Even though the memories of him, and of her old life, were fading like the scars on her body, sometimes a few would slip through the cracks, but she was doing her best to ignore them. Even so, this one made her smile a little, remembering that the Duke had once told her that when she married a Prince, she would be expected to bear him as many children as possible.

 

_“See that they’re boys, your husband won’t thank you for girls.”_

 

And yet here she was, their first child, a girl, and it was clear to even anyone who didn’t know him that Loki loved her, in fact she had had a sneaking suspicion that when she had found out that she was expecting in the first place, he had been secretly hoping for a girl.

 

Hela, freed from the restricting confines of her blanket, made a noise of contentment and snuggled into her father as Loki kissed the top of her head, gently. Georgiana stepped forward to relieve him of the blanket and her daughter made another grab for her, catching her fingers and squeezing tightly.

 

“Aw-w!” Sif cooed.

 

Georgiana giggled and met Loki’s gaze. Everything finally felt right with the Nine Realms, she realised. She had a husband who loved her, a beautiful daughter, she had a family, and a home, she was happy.

 

It was the new beginning she had always been running to.

 

Kisses always spoke louder than words, in her view, and as Loki leaned forwards and kissed her, in front of everyone, she knew what he was saying, and hoped that he could read what she said in her kiss just as easily.

 

_I love you._

_I love you._

 

Everything was perfect.


End file.
